When you love, you get hurt
by Litte H i k a r i
Summary: The same boy who laughs and talks a lot and seems very happy. Is also the same boy who may cry himself to sleep... "Rated: T. Because of the couple. A Barry/Wally fic."
1. Prologue

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

PROLOGUE

They have good nights.

Nights that starts with a delicious dinner, with light touches, carefree smiles, warm looks, a night full of sharing. With him being the wonderful man that she met and thought that he would always be.

She felt loved, she felt save, she felt complete.

It always brings a smile to her face every time that she remembers those strong arms wrapping in her waste, it tickles the memory of his voice whispering in her ear that is not necessary to do the dishes, and in a blink everything is done, perfect, and clean.

That's exactly how tonight started.

With laughs, with a rush of wind, and strong arms.

She just can focuses in pale blue eyes, eyes that are so gentle just like his touches. Since she has memory, he always has been the same with her, delicate, like she can break in pieces with just a touch, it always made her feel loved, and it kinds of excites her… to know that she is the most precious person of one of the most powerful men in the world.

She never doubted of his love.

Even if there are nights when she almost didn't catch the subtle change of his eyes… when they turn a little bit darker, that exact moment when he loses the eternal control of his powers and holds her too tight leaving bruises that she doesn't mind, because that happens for just a second, because she knows that he would never hurt her on purpose.

Because she knows that she married two different men.

The charismatic forensic, which she knows that she means the entire world to him… and the hero of Central City.

But what makes her uncomfortable is the way he turn his eyes to a different direction in those moments.

Why he looks away when he loses control?

She even tried to hold his face, but then he closes his eyes.

Sometimes he tries to say something but he just bites his lips.

Why he doesn't finish what he wants to say?

Why?

Why Barry, why?

She knows that Bartholomew loves her, but… his other part… maybe he met some heroine or some victim… maybe, there are so many possibilities.

But she can't act without any evidence.

Just like any big headline, she needs a good source.

Then they started.

The nights she wished she was delusional.

Because she started to be more precautious, more observant, she was prepared to catch every signal…

…Except that one.

"Wally."

Her heart stopped abruptly.

She heard wrong.

She must have heard wrong.

There is no way.

Not possibility.

Just no.

Please God… everything except that.

Not THAT.

It was so fast, intangible, ethereal.

It wasn't meant to be said.

Actually, he says it every night, in a speed that mortals just can dream to have.

But that night he stuttered, and those letters became tangible for precautious ears… that recognized the name.

The name of her seventeen years old nephew.

Something inside of her died that instant forever.

After that moment she can divide her life in good nights, and bad ones.

After that moment, in the afternoons, she cooks the dinner before time, just to have a few moments to sit and pray.

Hour after hour, day after day, every lonely night; she just sits and prays.

For that night to be a good one, one in which she knows that his husband is making love to HER, is in love with HER, and no one else.

In when those pale eyes stay calm and gentle, looking directly at her, not through her, like expecting her to be someone else.

Someone she just can't.

She tried to be more pleasant, to be less conservative, and to be more attentive, but…

…Those nights still exists.

Tonight it was a bad one.

A trembling hand tried to suffocate a sob, while tears kept rolling by perfect cheekbones.

"Wally…lo…you…I…love…plea…se"

He was asleep.

In his perfect world, a world in where he can stay with the person he really wishes to stay.

And isn't she.

She doesn't understand.

She can't understand.

She doesn't want to understand.

"Please stop, please Barry just… _*shut up.* _" It was a soft whisper from her lips.

When she married him, she made an internal vow to do everything that was in her power to accept the freedom that belongs to him.

But she never expected it to be this hurtful.

… This isn't her husband.

This isn't her Barry.

This has to be a part from… him.

She has to do something before the man that she married disappears.

PROLOGUE (PART II)

"So… you are not coming?"

Inexplicable green eyes shut down at the same time a tired sigh escaped.

"…Roy"

At that exact moment electric blue eyes stared in disbelief at the younger redhead.

"No don't "Roy" me, would you be kind enough to explain me why the hell you aren't coming?"

The sign of nervousness coming from the freckled face didn't help the situation.

"… You got to be kidding me." The seriousness from those words transformed the nervousness in sadness.

At the sight of green eyes without his normal sparkle, the older redhead cursed his luck, because is not normal from an ice cream shop to be so crowed… in November at minus two Celsius.

But he just puts a foot in the place every time that he invites the younger; cuz the little fox loved this place and those four brownies with triple chocolate were the proof of that.

He just tries to breathe in and out… in and out, just like Dinah told him.

"Roy… is not what you think (…)"

Roy's eyebrow started to switch with those words, causing a nervous attack in his friend, which means that he started rambling... fast.

"I told him about going to the concert in California with you, and he was totally okay with that, is just that Bat… his moody coworker told him that he has to travel reallyreallybutreallyrea (…)"

"WALLY!" Forget Dinah and her exercises.

"… faraway with his other coworker, the one with the green uniform, and now I have to patrol instead of him, which sucks because is not what I thought it would be, normally I just go to visit the Trickster or just die of boredom (…)"

At this point Roy do the only thing he can think of that can make Wally STFU.

He puts inside of the younger mouth a spoon full of strawberry's syrup.

Those big eyes just stare at him while they blink stupidity.

"Whatever, just don't talk about him."

"…Roy."

"Just _*don't.* _" He didn't mean it to come out that harsh or with such anger, but is impossible for him to just pretend like it doesn't matter to him… like he doesn't care.

He knows that he is not making the situation any easier for Wally, but, he just _*knows* _the pain that is just around the corner… waiting for Wally.

And he feels so… useless.

"…" Wally just starts to look absently at the people who pass in the street. The warm rays of the sun just accentuate his youth.

He knows better than that, with Roy, everything is a lost battle.

Roy… He would never accept _*him*. _

He would never accept what brings him real joy and happiness.

Is a little price he has to pay.

Just like he knows better that it would always hurt.  
But, this situation… this _*feelings* _, he wasn't expecting them… they just…

Everything is just so…

Like a eternal battle between your head and heart.

But with just one _*his* _touches… everything just burns down, he never felt so close to lose everything, but at the same time, he never felt so good and save.

"Just remember that you can count on me to throw an arrow trough his chest when he makes you cry."

A nervous smile that didn't match with sad eyes is the sight that greets him.

"He won't."

"You have too much faith in him."

"And you too little."

Roy's chest feels too small, why all his encounters with Wally have to be like this? Before that man… everything… it wasn't perfect, actually his life is far from perfect… hell, he doesn't even own a life, he have been using somebody's else, but… he ever, ever had a fight with the speedster… now… all he can think of is to shout at him until the little fool can come into some sense.

How someone that reads about subatomic particles for a hobby can be so stupid!?

"Sorry." Lips with strawberry's flavor whisper frailty.  
Wally is the only person he knows that can say sorry for at least 60 times a day.

The waitress that was moving towards the table with the bill stopped in her tracks with a light blush at the sight of the handsome redhead placing his hands lightly in the freckled face of the cute boy.

"Wally, the sad thing is that you can still love someone, and be wrong for them."

Those words Wally would remember them forever.

Just like the way Roy's eyes spoke to him and told him that he can count on him for anything.

Wally smiled dumbly before he wrapped his arms around his embarrassed friend.

A friend that he would need more than anything since that night.

PROLOGUE (PART III)

She doesn't feel strong enough to do it.

She knows that she has to.

There are legal issues behind all this.

There is a minor involved.

She has to find the truth.

She can't live like these… with doubts, not knowing how far her husband… desires have gone.

She has to save her marriage.

"Aunt Iris?"

With nervousness confused with hurry she finishes to serve the table… for two.

She have been waiting three weeks to finally have an alone time with her nephew.

Actually, she missed him.

God she loves him like a son.

Since she saw him for the first time, since she held his tiny body… the entire time she stood in the clinic making company to her brother, all she could think of was in rapt him and present him as her own… seriously.

That's the truth behind her nervousness, because she is afraid of the possibility that is too late… that maybe they are… together.

"Aunt?" She feels the worry in that voice.

With a strong breath she finally sees him.

And she wants to die.

Because she can't do anything else but to look at him and… scrutinize him as… a rival.

. .

The poor boy just takes a few steps back.

"Wally! How many times I told you that you have to use warmer clothes with this weather! Don't abuse of your condition!"

The eternal boyish smile is back, and this time with a small laugh that lightens the place. "I'm ok, don't worry for me." He says while he pulls the chair for her.

They start eating with familiarity, catching up and sharing memories.

She doesn't want to do it.

But she can't stop now.

Her husband sanity is in game.

"So Wally, you finally decided where you are going to study?"

For the first time in the entire dinner, the boy lay down the fork and looks away.

"Wally?" She insists.

"…No, well… I'm not even sure of the career yet, maybe mechanical engineering or forensic."

"No!"

Greener eyes look at her with confusion.

"I mean… No way didn't you have decided yet Wally… that's…that's not responsible."

"Is not my fault! The vocational test didn't help me!" The little pout in her nephew's mouth almost made her forget about the real reason behind the dinner, almost.

"Aunt?"

"Yes?"

"When…when you…"

She is one of the closest people to Wally, and because of that she knows that she has to gain some patience until the boy decides to conquer his insecurity problems.

He always said that those boys' acts never affected him but, his family and friends know better.

"When you were younger did you… have… difficulties?"

"Sweetie you need to be more specific."

"… Forget it."

"You mean about deciding my future?"

"…Yeah."

"Well, you want to know a little secret? When I was your age the only thing that I ever wanted was to be independent and free to do things that I never thought I would be able to do, so I moved to another city, I wasted two years without studying, until I finally decided that it was time to do something with my life, but I always liked journalism if that was what you were trying to ask."

She watched as the boy stared at the table, letting the words sink.

It was time.

She is going to hate herself for this.

"Wally… is this indecision of yours caused by a… person?"

If she wasn't practically educated to know everything about speedsters, she would be shocked at the speed in which the boy's behavior changed.

"What-whatdoyoumean?"

Oh Wally.

You are an open book.

"I noticed that you no longer talk about any lady, or even go out as before, not even with your best friends."

"That's because they have been veryvery*very* busy... lately there have not been any good moments to celebrate."

That's true, and she knows it, that's why she hates herself for pushing.

"Wally I need you to look at me and tell me with total honestly that there is anyone that's making you doubt about taking a scholar ship away from here."

Her words weren't finished when the whole table started to vibrate.

Scared.

He was so fucking scared.

She tried to understand the situation.

She really did.

But why the effort?

Her husband and nephew have been together behind her back!

She can't stop.

" . . ."

She cannot longer pretend, and holds tightly the trembling hand across the table.

" . ."

The boy just shuts his eyes and denies with his head.

"WALLY!"

If somebody asks her if she couldn't control herself when she nailed her nails in the boy's hand, she wouldn't be able to answer.

"Nonononono...thereisnobody." Using his powers the boy gets up and rushes to the kitchen with the dishes.

Something inside of her breaks.

A single tear full of anger crosses her cheek, before she brushes it off and follows her nephew.

The freckled teen has his arms rested in the dishwasher and his face is hiding with them.

He is trembling… fuck that, he is vibrating.

She has to support her back with a wall.

She isn't strong enough for this.

"Wally… I want you to know that I understand you… but you have to understand me…"

No response.

"You can't keep seeing my husband."

"Whatever has been going on between you and him have been destroying my family."

"Wally I need you to look at me."

The vibrations increased.

"LOOK AT ME!"

So much anger.

Finally those eyes looked at her. Breathtaking jades full of tears.

She could almost reach the parts of life that were leaving him.

She is taking everything that the boy has.

But the truth is that it wasn't ever his.

It was hers.

She is not enjoying this, she hates herself.

But she has to do it.

He needs to understand.

"You fell for someone you knew you shouldn't."

"Whatever happened it ends now… understood?"

She just cut the deepest wound in the life of her nephew.

A cut so deep, he didn't deserve it.

Red hair moves lightly while the boy affirms with an almost imperceptible nod of his head.

Lips covered with tears and tiny marks with blood open before they whisper an apology.

"I'm…sorry."

And then he is gone.

She cannot longer hold herself and falls on her knees.

She is sorry too.

How a person moves on? How her family is going to move on?

IN NEXT FILL: _"Don't make me wait. Just because you know I will."_

_Inspired by a prompt in the YJ Anon Meme (Part 11)._


	2. Chapter 1

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER I

"You are lying."

A tremble, followed by furious black eyes with a deadly stare.

She wasn't the original Huntress for nothing.

It doesn't matter the wheelchair.

It doesn't matter her age.

She is ready to kill.

"Paula… I…"

"Kid, this isn't funny, * _stop lying_ *"

Green eyes watched in impotence as trembling hands were holding to the armrests with a strong hold.

She is beautiful, with gleaming black hair, delicate features; her lines of expression just accentuated her aura… full of willpower…

He's killing it.

This image, this woman, she… he can't…

He kneels in front of her; he can't stand to look at this woman from above.

The world should be at her feets.

"…" He opens his mouth, and just air escape from them.

He tries, he tries *_hard_* but he can't look at her directly in her eyes.

He wants to say the truth.

He wants to say it so badly.

But he can't.

So, when his eyes close and his hair covers his face, he hears them.

"NO! NO! NONONOnonoNOno!"

_The screams. _

And a part of him dies.

Because he's causing pain again.

Wherever he goes, it would always be a matter of time.

"Boy tell me you are lying…. TELL ME!"

He can't look at her.

"My baby, my Artemis… she can't be… she can't be…"

He forces himself to say something.

"She…she was stabbed in a delicate place… the wound was too deep, it caused internal damage… she couldn't…."

"SHUT UP!"

He doesn't realize that he had been slapped in the face, until he feels the burn across his cheek.

He doesn't move.

Why would he do that?

"WHY YOU DIDN'T GO WITH HER? WHY YOU LEFT HER ALONE?!"

Because it wasn't part of the plan, he wants to say.

. . .

This time is a punch.

He felt a small dizziness, but he didn't react.

Why would he do that?

This is his fault.

He always causes pain.

"… This is… this is your fault…"

He _*knows*._

He slightly nods.

"Ah!"

She grabs him by the neck.

The hold is so full of pain, sorrow, anger, revenge, resentment, rage and ire… that is impossible for him to breathe.

His eyes are just two green lines that see ebony ones full of tears.

"…Pau…la…so…" He wants to say so many things.

But he is starting to feel week.

Years ago he could had been able to run away.

Those days are over.

_Crack._

"PAULA STOP! STOP YOU ARE KILLING HIM!"

He doesn't hear well the sound of the wood breaking, but he hears clearly the voice of Dick.

Before his body betrays him.

CHAPTER I (PART II)

He slowly comes back to consciousness with the deep sound of a murmur.

"He's sleeping, yes I know the difference between asleep and unconscious _*_ _Speedy_*… How I'm supposed to call you?... Well until you end your eternal crusade to find your true self and reach the fucking Nirvana I'm calling you wherever the fuck I want... With everything that has been happening in your absence I feel like I can treat you like you deserve… Yeah I know! But you could at least have stayed in contact with *_us_*. No! I'm not blaming you for this I'm just saying that a little help…"

Well, not a murmur per se.

Impossible green eyes stay wide trying to adapt to the abnormal darkness that surrounds him.

The only reason of why he doesn't panic, it's because he can recognize that voice no matter the years.

He tries to sit, but only a slow move of his legs is the response that he receives.

He feels so weak.

A sob escape from his lips before he punishes himself by biting them with no mercy.

He doesn't deserve any compassion.

"I'm not trying to make it look like is his fault! The hell Roy? With whom you think you are talking? I'm his best friend! I know is hard for your brain to capture information, with all your problems, but here in the real world we don't turn our backs to friends… I TRIED! But he didn't let me enter to the apartment! He wanted to tell her alone!... I know we're talking of Wally… I'm not going to punch him!"

He moves again, this time he succeeds and stays curled up in the bed.

He feels drowsy and exhausted.

He is facing a window and one of the blinds lets the rays of the moon in.

He isn't in Wayne Manor.

Probably in Dick's apartment, in Blüdhaven.

Away from Palo Alto.

"Whelmed? WHY I'M NOT WHELMED? You son of a…arg! I don't even know why I'm telling you this! It's obvious that you don't care about us anymore!"

Funny, apparently Roy brings the bad temper of everyone that is close to him.

With insecurity he touches his neck; he knows that the finger marks will stay longer than normal.

Although, the memory will stay forever.

"I'm sorry Paula… Artemis…"

He closes his eyes, knowing that new nightmares will hunt him now.

"Wally? Are you awake?"

The contrast of the light makes him curl up even more.

"Sorry."

When he opens his eyes again, he sees his friend.

Tall, muscular, silky dark hair and just plain awesome blue eyes.

He misses him.

_* So much.* _

"Hey." Just a whisper… so pathetic.

Compared to him, he's just a scum; years ago he would have felt honored to be by his side, to be at the same level of him… now any comparison is an insult to the powerful Nightwing.

Blue eyes watched with concern the figure of the person that he loves most than a brother.

Curled up, no covers, blurry green eyes, messy red hair, pale skin, lithe body, boyish features, scattered freckles… Wally is the portrait of youth.

Maybe that's the reason of why everybody feels so overprotective with him.

He's not the exception.

With careful movements he approaches the bed and sits in the corner while he can't avoid the impulse of touch his face.

"I ordered pizza… Napolitana, your favorite." He says softly.

All his training with Batman, his exercises, was futile when he's not using his mask, because the worry that is boiling inside of him, finds an escape trough his eyes.

He's so worried of Tim, the Team, Blüdhaven, Roy, Kaldur, Artemis, Bruce, Wally… God Wally.

He doesn't have a clue of what's going on inside of that intrepid mind.

He can't understand his decisions.

He leaves the team, he leaves the mantle, he moves to a city across the country… without warning!

"Thanks' but… I gotta go."

… And refuses food.

Maybe Roy and Superman weren't the only ones cloned.

"Wally…"

With neutral features the redhead sits up and tries slowly to get up.

"Wally, hold on, stay, look with the zeta-tubes you'll be in Palo Alto in a matter of seconds."

Dick watches incredulously how his friend leaves his bedroom.

And ignores him.

He quits his shocked state and rapidly follows him.

He finds him using the wall as support for walk.

"Wally! You can't leave like this!"

"Sorry Dick, I can't stay the night… but my girlfriend just *_died.* _"

The black haired hero instantly tenses.

"Wally, I thought you understood."

"Yes Dick, I understood, if you haven't noticed I have been following your plan the whole night."

"Artemis volunteered by her own."

"Don't twist the reality, she _*accepted*_, you proposed her specifically and she accepted."

"Everything went perfectly!"

"Per-perfectly? Are you fucking kidding me? Do THIS looks like perfect for you?" Green eyes acquire an unstoppable fire, while the possessor points at the marks around his neck.

"…I…"

"I just told to a mother that her daughter just died stabbed in the chest, and that I couldn't do anything to save her… You just told Roy that tonight he has to tell his wife that her sister died!... We both saw our friends go hundreds of kilometers undersea, to stay for who knows how many days around the worst criminals of the world…. And you have the…" Wally stops and bites his lips.

He doesn't have the strength to do this.

Not with Dick.

"What you want me to say Wally?... We've been planning this for years… Let me remind you that you expressed the necessity to form a backup plan if the league didn't find the other member of the Light."

"I know, but I never accorded to hide things, to the lies… so many lies Dick… I told you to tell Batman or Canary if things went too far… This is too far Dick! Paula Crock believes her daughter is dead!"

"Artemis is totally capacitated for the challenge."

"This is not about her abilities, I'm talking about the fact that she's pretending her own death… we just ruined her life!"

"What you want me to say Wally? That I'm sorry? That I feel terrible?... Yes! But I'm not going to tell Batman… I can handle this .own."

Dick felt some satisfaction at the fact that now Wally has to move lightly his head to look at him directly in the eyes.

"You-you can handle this? Oh! I see… The boy wonder has to prove himself again… Hahaha and here I thought that we were doing this for the humanity… Face the facts, Kaldur and Artemis are the real heroes here."

"… At least I'm doing something, tell me Wally, what you want to do? What can make you happy? Cuz lately you've been the personification of lifelessness. "

They were so close that the blue eyed hero noticed how the fire of the jades of his friend disappeared.

"I just wanted to take her place." Says lightly the redhead while he surrenders and hides his face in the stronger shoulder.

Speechless, Dick covers his friend with his arms.

Just a few people knows that Wally's corporal temperature is proportional to his emotional state, if Wally's happy or extremely angry, his corporal temperature is on the charts, but if he feels confused, nostalgic or sad… he's temperature is around 35º Celsius.

Right now his friend needs warmth.

"Wally… you can't go undersea." He says with his lips brushing against red locks.

"Why not?" His words are bearably audible with his face hiding in the contrary's neck.

"Because if something happens to you… I wouldn't be able to go on…"

"With the mission?" The redhead slowly faces his protector, with an uncertain expression.

"With my life."

CHAPTER I (PART III)

_Four years ago. _

He didn't give Batman the chance to remind him to fill the report.

He was just a red blur.

He didn't pay attention to the voice of Hal suggesting him to visit the medical center inside the watchtower.

He just reached the sound barrier.

He neither waited for the doors to open.

He just vibrated through them.

He just wanted to be on earth, . .

Because right now at this very minute; there was just one and only_ thought in_ his mind.

One and only_ feeling_ in his heart.

One and only _need_ in his soul.

And has windblown red hair, radiant green eyes and a breathtakingly smile.

Two weeks in a foreign planet, dealing with big nasty grubs, weren't helping to keep his sanity.

If the big bat ever volunteers him again as an intergalactic pest control guy, he wouldn't think twice before he gives to the batmobile a piece of his true strength.

In the middle of the night, the zeta-tube left him between the twin cities, little lightings were around his arms and legs, he couldn't _wait_.

He didn't trust the machine to left him fast enough, he trusts his own transportation medium better.

Two weeks, fourteen days, three hundred and thirty six hours, two thousand and one sixty seconds.

A whole lifetime for him.

He felted so week by being so far from him.

He's only strong when he has him in his arms.

He just wants to spend more time with him.

Recuperate the entire nights lost.

He just wants his company and love.

He wanted to see him, hold him, kiss him, touch him, and disappear the memory of sad jades when he told him that he was going away for two damn weeks.

He wants to fade away the consuming feeling of insanity as time passes so slowly when he doesn't have him where he belongs.

And that's in his arms.

Where he can be entirely sure that anything and anyone would ever hurt him.

He knows he is not perfect; he is not what the world thinks.

And he perfectly knows what the world would think if the truth comes out.

But he can swear that he's feelings are genuine.

That he can protect of any harm his little speedster.

He even got hurt because he couldn't think straight in a surprise attack.

Is lucky that he's in a quiet neighborhood, because he just forgot to change, and any curious neighbor could just see the silhouette of The Scarlet Speedster entering a house by the window.

He suppressed a soft groan as he finally enters the window of the second floor, the wound in his left arm reclaimed him his impatient actions.

"Ah… Wa…Wally…Wally?"

He removes his cowl with brusqueness, and pale blue eyes stare with incredulity at the empty room.

There is… nothing.

The bed, the books, the clothes…

Everything.

Disappeared.

He's gone.

And his biggest fear just materialized.

He lost him.

Wally… he's gone.

While his heart and mind are having a battle against each other, fast images start to repeat like an old movie.

In all of them were signs, reasons, mistakes, difficulties…

Pale irises lose their life.

Dry lips separate lightly before he remembers where he is and closes them with more strength than necessary.

_ "Don't make me wait. Just because you know I will." _

Soft hairs spread in dispersed mattress, an extremely young and beautiful body, smooth skin touched by small rays, freckles that were positioned as the stars are in the sky, parted lips trying to catch some air… his breathing was irregular, some drops of sweat were enjoying the path by a lithe body…

That's his own epitome of perfection.

Entrancingly, captivatingly and unbeatably perfection.

They just reunited after forty six days without a time just for them.

He had to convince his boss to let him take the shift earlier just to have forty six minutes with his little runner.

And while he was caressing the small back, enjoying the adorable sighs that escaped from the sleepy teen that was resting in his chest…

… Those Jades closed before the owner murmured those words.

How he didn't see it?

The-the…the signs.

Wally… is gone.

And he doesn't have a clue of how to get him back.

_Do you ever miss me Wally? I mean truly, aching until-the-last-part-of-your-soul pain, which you can't ignore? Because that's how I feel. Every single day. _

IN NEXT FILL:_ "I don't regret the things I've done, I regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance." _

A/N: Thank you so much, I really appreciate the time you take to read and even write your thoughts. You guys are amazing. Thank you. X3

- . 4 7 7 . ? = 5 # (witout spaces)

Last time I forgot to put the link of the prompt, if you wish you can read the five chapters that I have written so far, either way I'm going to publish them by this site too.

The link would be also in my profile.

Again, thank you!


	3. Chapter 2

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER II

Darkness.

No air.

No light.

No life.

No Sun.

Just obscurity.

Then, it started.

The potency that posses the rush of cold water against your body.

So powerful that pushes you against a solid object, you can feel how your spine breaks with the impact, at the same time that your breath escapes.

Nobody sees you; there are no colors, no feelings… nothing.

There's nothing left to lift you up.

Just coldness.

You start to feel grateful towards the coldness, because that way you can ignore the pain around your body, you can finally sleep… sleep to the death.

And in a matter of seconds, came the fire.

Agonizing pain.

You can't escape.

You can't run.

Water, fire.

Fire, water.

The cycle goes and goes until solid rock covers you.

No air.

No light.

No life.

No Sun.

Your mind guides you back to a memory; years ago you were covered like this while you saw your friends being locked up in a cage of fire.

Now you see a beautiful girl with golden locks being captive in a human sized tube… the tube was being filled with water.

She's awake.

She is saying your name.

Over and over.

"Wally."

She whispers your name, she says it, she _screams_ it.

"WALLY!"

She is going to die.

"WALLY!"

You are not strong enough.

You are too weak.

"WALLY!"

You are doomed to failure.

"WALLY!"

You are a disappointment.

"WALLY!"

It should be you in that container.

Not her.

_You. _

You are the one that should be dead.

_Wally, my love for you, is undeniable, but is not the love that you think it is._

_I love you as an uncle loves his nephew, as a father loves his son._

_And nothing more._

No air.

No light.

No life.

No Sun.

Just obscurity.

_Cracks._

With abnormal speed Wally West sits up in a bed.

His pupils are dilated; just a fine green halo surrounds them. His heartbeat is uncontrollable, it doesn't matter how much he tries it ' .

His trembling hand goes to his chest, is an innocent gesture, he's just trying to calm down.

He's gasping, but the air just doesn't want to enter.

Even if little drops of sweat covers him… he's trembling.

He feels so _cold. _

That's how he feels every time that those words penetrate his subconscious; they have been following him for years, breaking his peace, hurting him, making his existence miserable.

"I'm so fucked up." Says in a whisper while he rests his head in the headboard.

Why?

Why he can't forget _him_?

Why?

After all this time.

It keeps hurting.

The wound keeps open.

It would never close?

It seems that there is no way to forget.

_He_ just … took his life away.

There is no day that he doesn't try with all his strength, to forget.

But _he_ just finds him.

In his dreams.

There is no escape.

With the last thought, a fast idea occurs to him, and sees with corner of his eyes the nightstand.

Maybe he needs a little help to sleep.

Slowly he opens the drawer and sees the pill jar. It says vitamin C, but what really contains is.

_Prozac. _

He has been taken it since he promised himself that he would make Artemis happy.

She's fallen in love for the joyful Wally.

The one that makes everybody smile and takes the tension away.

She deserved happiness.

And these pills just gave her the speedster that she loves.

She isn't here anymore.

But a little bit more of these pills, and he can finally have a rest without nightmares.

He can finally be the one that can imagine a world without _him._

The one that learned to not call his name and love as the same thing.

_Wally, my love for you, is undeniable, but is not the love that you think it is._

_I love you as an uncle loves his nephew, as a father loves his son._

_And nothing more._

Wally closed his eyes and let himself pretend that the ache in his chest wasn't real.

"Stop Wally, he would never be in your life… you are nothing." He whimpered.

Red locks moved slowly while he sighed removing the top of the jar.

_Cracks. _

Any mortal couldn't have been able to see how the redhead hid the jar inside the drawer.

He heard something.

"Silence."

"Sorry."

With some caution the redhead walked towards the origin of the voices.

"Just be quiet."

"I said I'm sorry ok? Not everyone here are bats and can see in the darkness."

He couldn't stop to blink several times.

Those weren't…?

CHAPTER II (PART II)

In the middle of the living room were two teens.

One was relatively tall for his age and weight, has black hair with an almost military cut, pale skin, was dressed with dark clothes that consisted in black jeans, and a deep blue sweeter; the teen has very symmetric features that combined with his serious expressions make him look older; also a mysterious aura surrounds him, and the sunglasses that was using were a plus to the puzzling teen.

The other one, was the contrast, his skin was slightly tan, was shorter than the other, but his body was a little bit more sculpted, was brown-haired with a longish haircut, his facial expressions were open and appealing, his clothes were more colored, the energetic teen seemed to be very young, but the most shocking characteristic were his eyes… they were gold.

Wally West didn't notice that his mouth was slightly open.

What on earth were doing those two in his dorm, in the middle of the night, on the other side of the country?

"Geezzz what are you bringing here? Bricks? Rocks?... Titanium?"

"Don't. you. ever. shut. up? With your noises your cousin and the entire block should be already awake."

"Relax Tim, a bomb could explode next to Wally and the kid wouldn't even notice."

… Kid?

Completely taken aback the redhead arched an eyebrow while he presses the light's interrupter.

"STOP SAYING MY…"

It was kind of funny.

Two pairs of eyes watched in alarm the figure of Wally West leaning against one of the corners of the living room.

The spine of the black-haired was completely tense and his mouth was wide open, totally paralyzed.

The eyes of the shorter one were ready to pop out, his foot made a tiny move, and in a blink of an eye a blur…

… went to the ground.

The black-haired predicted the escape of his companion, and extended his arm in time to use it as an obstacle that hit the speedster and sent him to the floor.

"…I'm so making you pay for this in the future."

The youngest bat just glared him, before he redirected his stare to the redhead, who was looking at them with amusement.

That made him relaxes a little bit, just a little.

"Well, Bart, Tim… what are you… WHAT DID YOU DO TO KATNISS!?"

Both teens watched at unison the Pit bull that laid flat on the floor, with a very big dart in one of her legs, breathing… bearably.

"THAT WAS TIM NOT ME TIMTIMTIMTIM!"

"STOP SAYING MY NAME!"

At this point Wally was sure that the entire block was cursing his name.

"Guys, guys… GUYS!"

Both teens stopped with fist hanging in the air.

"It's almost four in the morning try to calm down."

At least they looked ashamed.

Well, the youngest bat looked uncomfortable; Bart in the other hand was eyeing the ceiling with interest.

The redhead sighed while he rubbed his eye.

This night has been eternal.

Tim Drake watched in surprise how the redhead offered him a hand.

"I think we never have been introduced as civies before, it's obvious that you already know it, but… Wally West."

The black-haired teen saw in astonishment the warm smile and how then redhead brushed a few strands of his messy red hair from his eyes.

"…"

"Take a picture, it will last longer." Says mockingly the youngest speedster with a sardonic smile.

Thanks' to the dark sunglasses the brown-haired didn't see the intensity of the glare that was clearly wishing to has the power of laser eyes.

"Don't pay attention to him, or you are going to end in a madhouse." Says Wally with a smile.

"HEY!"

"Tim Drake." The bat follows the advice and ignores the smallest speedster, while he accepts the hand of the redhead.

Curious, he always thought that all speedsters were extremely warm; this one was almost colder than averages humans.

"Well, Tim, would you finally explain me why are you here at this hour and… with those suspicious boxes?"

Tim tenses again and as reflex, he sees the pair of boxes that were spread on the floor… they were the cause of the noise.

He finally sighs defeated.

Batman and Nightwing are going to be so mad.

CHAPTER II (PART III)

It was five in the morning and both teens were eating breakfast.

It consisted in bread, eggs, bacon, butter, jam, cheese, ham… and peanut butter.

It was tasty.

Tim would be lying if he didn't admit that he felt some kind of… comfort in the dorm.

His intuition is his strength, as Grayson's is his agility, Tim is what he is thanks' to his intuition, and… he doesn't sense any negative thing from West.

People consider him as a lunatic, a paranoid freak.

But this guy, well maybe is because the guy is so… naïve?

That perplexes him.

Which sane person invites to eat breakfast the guys who enter to his house in the middle of the night with boxes full of spying equipments?

He starts to understand why Grayson is always worried of this guy.

Maybe people that don't live in Gotham are all the same.

He shrugged while he bitted his sandwich.

West should rejoin the team.

"So basically you came here, to bug my house?"

"Tim, just Tim, I just wanted to visit you and I saw him shooting at your dog."

"At four in the morning?" Confronts the black-haired teen.

"I was bored in this dumb world full of retarded people." Actually, there is something in the way that the boy form the future says it… that makes you want to support him… but mostly hit him.

"Anyway… why? I mean… Why?"

Tim notices that the redhead only had eaten two dishes of cereal.

"Well, Batman wants to make sure that after… what happened recently… you are ok… that you…"

"He wants to make sure that I will not turn into Kaldur." Cuts abruptly the redhead.

Tim notices for the first time in the night, some annoyance coming from the redhead. It's natural, his girlfriend died just a night ago, actually he kind of admires the composure that has been keeping with them, maybe West doesn't want to show any weakness because he's guessing that he would tell Grayson or Bruce.

Tim doesn't want to think about that. He feels bad already intruding the redhead in these moments of his life.

"But Grayson's devices are just for security!" He tries to raise his spirits.

"Huh... Sure." Impossible green eyes show tiredness before the owner starts to clean some dishes.

"Ah!" Bart elbowed the youngest bat.

"… West… emmm…"

There is a reason of why he prefers to be in a library instead of a beach in summer.

"Your dog would be awake at any minute!"

Bart face-palmed.

And he was really close to do it too. He sighs before he decides that the best is to end this now.

"Look, West if you want I'll tell Nightwing and Batman that you noticed my presence and you stopped me; and that's totally ok, this is your life and they don't have the right to…"

"Is ok Tim." Whispers lightly the redhead.

"… And I'm so sorry I didn't have to awaken you, but your cousin here is so strident, and I was just following orders; they were fighting and I was just there and like always I ended picking up the broken dishes and they send me here like I didn't have anything else to do, like I don't have to train to be a better Robin, I have big shoes to fill and…"

Tim stopped when he felt a light hold on his shoulder.

When he looked up he saw the same tired eyes, but this time they were worried too.

"Is ok Tim. I know those two, and they would be a pain in the ass until they don't get whatever they want."

Tim just nodded, and tensed a little bit when he felted how Wally slowly takes his hands and undoes the fists that he was making.

He didn't notice that, he really needs some sleep.

"… Ok, but I can teach you how to hack the sensors and cameras and make them believe that they received an original signal while you just send them a bait."

"Deal."

The smile that he got was all he needed to confirm that he finally said the right words.

"Seriously dude, stop drooling over my hot-widowed-cousin."

CHAPTER II (PART IV)

At eight in the morning all the devices _modified_ were already placed; but it wasn't until sunset that the youngest bat leaved the dorm.

The duo decided to hang out, Wally ordered Chinese food, and Tim hacked everything that could've been hacked and now Wally has HBO, the answers of three quizzes, an unlimited account in a comic store, and a faster Internet.

Without counting new hacking tricks.

He was really grateful to these boys; they distracted him, kept his mind busy, and made him _smile _… genuinely.

That's more that he could ever dream to achieve at days like these.

"FINALLY ALONE!" The youngest speedster falls on the sofa dramatically.

"Don't say that, Tim is pretty fun."

The brown-haired rolled his golden eyes.

"Whatever, hey! You want to go around the world and rent tons of videogames?" Maybe those thirty six Dr. Pepper weren't out of the system yet.

"Thanks' Bart, but I think that you had already worked a lot trying to distract me." Says the redhead with a nostalgic smile.

"Whatdoyoumean?" Says at speed talk the youngest one, while he sat cross-legged.

"We both know that you came here to distract me from Artemis's funeral." Wally didn't notice, but his voice was bearable audible, even if he sat next to his cousin.

This one just sighed defeated.

"I sucked right?"

It was the Justice League's new gossip, Paula Crock forbidden the pass of any member of the league to the small and private funeral, and mostly she prohibited the presence of Wally West, the incompetent boyfriend.

But, of course, because Artemis was part of the program of scholarships of Wayne's Foundation, Dick Grayson attended in representation of his absent adoptive father, an old school friend named Barbara Gordon assisted too, her best friend from New York Zatanna, classmates named Megan, Conner, Karen, Mal and Raquel assisted too, naturally her brother-in-law Roy Harper went to support the family.

So basically everyone found a way to attend except him.

Paula _hates_ him.

And there is nothing that he can do to win her forgiveness.

He would never be able to mourn her girlfriend, or say good bye properly, to the eyes of the world he's scum.

Like he wouldn't get more miserable.

Like he wasn't watched with enough pity.

"Hey! Don't think about that ok? Or all my efforts would have been in vain." He woke up from his thoughts at the touch of his cousin in his hair; the boy put some red locks behind his ear.

"I'm fine." He smiled like every normal day.

Because it's easier than explaining why he's sad.

Golden eyes just stared at him for mere seconds before the redhead were knocked down of the sofa product of the mother of all the bear hugs.

"No, you are not." Whispered the boy with his face hidden in the chest of the redhead.

Jades looked at the ceiling; the owner could feel tears stinging at his eyes.

"Bart…"

"Hummm?" The golden eyed was very comfortable nuzzling with his nose.

He wanted to ask so many things.

But…

He _couldn't._

Not because of the timeline.

Because he was afraid of the answer.

"…Nevermind."

Golden eyes stared at green ones.

"Wally, I'll make sure that you're ok… I'm here to help you, I'm here to watch you smile, laugh, forgive, believe and love all over again."

The redhead bitted his lips nervously, what's the meaning behind those words… what…

_Ding. _

CHAPTER II (PART V)

Who was behind that door was no other one than Jay Garrick.

The adult couldn't hide a smile at the sight of the redhead; the kid tilted his head slightly and a few strands were brushing his eyelashes… he looked really surprised.

Probably because this is the first time that he visits the kid.

Is not because he didn't remember the kid; because Joan and he loved him, they see him as a grandson, at his first steps as a speedster he remembered how the redhead always ran to him every time that he wanted to get better so he doesn't make the Flash look bad; when the kid got his first nosebleed they went to the hospital, in his first fracture on a mission they went to the hospital, when the kid for the first time fainted at school because he wasn't used to eat that much, they went too.

He remembers clearly when Wally confessed him his insecurities about his speed, when he discovered that he's not as fast as Barry. It was him who discovered Wally's claustrophobia, and that was the reason of why the redhead freaks out when he's trying to vibrate through a wall, making impossible to hold his concentration and control over his powers… making everything explode.

All his memories with the kid are pleasant and enjoyable.

His favorite one, is when the kid came at the middle of the night, with the sky almost falling with rain, and the kid just stared at him, with those huge green eyes, and in his arms was a little crocodile, the kid was running in Florida and saw some hunters kill the mother and they took the eggs… apparently the baby crocodile was the only survivor, and he didn't know where else to go.

Joan always thinks about him when she cooks cheese cake, she's always saying that she wants to see him, to make sure that he's eating well, that he remembers to take extra vitamins that his metabolism needs and that the fast food can't provide.

They truly love him.

Is just, years ago…

… An afternoon Iris told Joan _that._

And well…

They didn't know what to do.

When Joan tried to contact the boy… he already escaped.

He went missing for two months.

When they heard news about him again, he was starting the semester in Stanford.

Joan several times sent him, to go check up on the little speedster, but…

He told her that the league and the parents of the boy knew where he was, apparently Green Arrow's ex-sidekick communicated to the family or something.

There was nothing that they could do.

The kid clearly sent the message.

He wanted to stay away.

With the course of the years, they established contact, and they speak with each other via telephone.

The kid comes a day before Christmas, a week before thanksgiving, he sends presents at birthdays…

Is not the same.

But they can't change anything; they are just a couple of elderly people, they didn't want to intrude, Wally has his own life now.

Away from the heroes, away from the danger, away from them.

But he was happy that way.

And they are going to respect that.

Because they love him, and they see the true value of the kid.

Actually he sees a bright future for Wally, and it has nothing to do with a degree.

Wally has the heart of a true hero, and fate won't let the kid get away.

The world needs him.

And what happened at February 28 where the proof of that.

He even told Joan that he's hoping for Wally's comeback very soon.

Then, Bart told them the news.

That Artemis died on a mission.

And that the mother of the girl was blaming Wally.

Again, they have their hands cuffed.

"Grand-grandpa Joan!" He almost loses his breath with the hug of his new grandson.

This time when he meets the golden eyes, he tries to look serious.

Immediately the teen pouted.

"Bart, don't ever do that again, Joan was going at her wits end!"

"What did he do?"

"He came here without permission."

"Where I came from I don't need…"

"But now you are in the twenty one century, so you are going to behave like a boy from this era."

"… Fine." Grumbled the teen, and to make his disagreement clear, he stopped hugging his grandpa.

The adult just watched with amusement. He saw from the corner of his eyes the small smile in the face of the redhead, and took a decision.

"You can come here and visit your cousin, there is no problem with that, but you have to tell first… Deal?"

"DEAL! Geez I'm starving! I want to see grand-grandma Joan… RACE YOU OLD MAN!"

In a second a blur disappeared in the distance.

"I imagine that now I look like a saint compared to him."

"You have no idea."

"I'm sorry; I didn't know that he was here without permission if I knew… "

"Is ok kid, you are family." And to make his point clear, he put a hand in the shorter's shoulder.

"…" The redhead blushed and stared at the floor.

Same old Wally.

"Kid, you know that you count with us right?"

A slight nod.

"… You want to come in and drink something?… I can buy some coffee and…"

"Another day kid, now I have to run _fast _or I'll lose the kid again."

Before the redhead felt another breeze, there was a pair of familiar arms hugging him.

CHAPTER II (PART VI)

Pale eyes watched carefully a magnificent screen.

It showed a normal house, was painted with soft yellow, it was a duplex, nothing special.

Except that holds the most special soul that he ever met.

The most special star in the sky.

He started by missing him.

But it turned into a necessity.

How many times.

How many days.

How many _years._

Just looking.

Imagining… what if, the almost, the I wish, the begs…

In those moments his heart rises.

Because what he had was an illusion enveloped in an eternal passion.

But then, there are also the regrets and mistakes…

In one word his life is… Bittersweet.

Just remove the sweet.

The sky falls and who cares.

His sky would never be blue again.

Nothing else matters more that what _he_ gave him that night under the bluest sky.

He always thought that he would never turn into someone who walked away so easily.

But he let it burn.

He just learned what he got, and what he isn't.

"Flash?"

With superhuman speed the red clad speedster turns off the screen that was connected to one of the satellites of the Watchtower.

"Ye-yes Dinah?"

"Was that…?"

He just sighs.

And waits for the powerful steps to come closer.

He didn't expect the delicate hand at his shoulder.

"I… I don't know what happened between you and your protégé, but whatever happened it has to stay in the past… he _needs_ you know."

No he doesn't.

"It's complicated." He slowly holds his breath.

He can't tell her.

She wouldn't understand.

The world couldn't.

He is used to that.

Every day the world seems like a foreign place.

Every instant.

Because the world forgets that for him time passes differently.

One second is like one minute.

One minute is like one hour.

One hour is like a day.

One day is like a year.

One year is a lifetime.

There was one person that beyond doubt understood him.

One person that went through his hours and saved him.

One person with whom he lived every second like the first.

And he failed to him.

"So complicated that you have to take care of him by satellites?"

"…"

"Barry, with the amounts of danger in our life, do you really think that is wise to let the clock go by?"

"…"

Dinah… you don't have idea.

That his biggest fear is to knock at that door.

And that it won't open to him.

"Just think about it, with the things that have been happening to that boy… It's highly probable that he will change…it's up to the people close to him to don't let it happen."

The blonde pressed the button that returned the image of the house in Palo Alto.

It was when the door closed, that his mind remembered the words of Jay when both of them were alone at Garrick's seventieth wedding anniversary after Neutron's fiasco.

_ "Never ignore a person who loves you, cares for you, and misses you; because one day, you might wake up from your sleep and realize that you lost the moon while counting the stars."_

He didn't understand at the moment.

But…

He sees one last time the image of the house before he takes a decision.

CHAPTER II (PART VII)

After so many pretexts, after so many internal battles…

He _knows_ he failed.

That he shouldn't be here.

That he should be miles away, in Central… with his _wife. _

But he needs some clarity.

He needs to learn from his mistakes.

Without realizing it he vibrates trough the door an almost steps on a sleeping pit bull.

He removes the cowl and stares at the interior of the dorm.

He feels already closer to the owner.

Pale blue eyes examine with curiosity the arrows and trophies.

The lights are turned down, but he can distinguish several things.

In the kitchen are a lot of Chinese boxes.

In a small table was a laptop on, with a document open, it seemed like the design of an aero generator, next to the laptop were a pair of mountains of books.

They were a mix, they were some about different languages, Mechanical Engineering and the others were about…

Barry swallowed the lump in his throat.

…The others were about Forensics.

He feels like drowning.

He can't live any longer like this.

He can't keep holding the sorrow.

It's too much.

He wants to cry, he wants to forget for just one time what he represents wearing this suit.

Wants to ignore the objects that obviously belonged to the archer.

They were the proof of a life shared.

Why Wally?

Why you escaped like that?

He knows that he didn't have any right to protest.

But…

Every memory and testament that he remembers and acknowledges that the redhead isn't his…

… A huge part of him dies.

Love isn't about being right.

With more determination he carefully goes to the bedroom.

And is surprised by the sound of running water.

This time he doesn't vibrate, the door of the bathroom was already open.

Vapor covered the small place.

But he distinguished a silhouette trough the curtain.

Instantly his soul burned and his heart accelerated in a way impossible to control.

He saw him weeks ago, but it wasn't the same.

That time he was overwhelmed with Bart, Neutron, Twins…

… He couldn't process.

But now…

What now?

What do you say to the world of you?

What do you say to the love that never really worked?

And just when he was about to hold back and hide again…

The sound of running water stops and the curtain is rolled.

Jades stare wide open while the owner yelps.

Barry wasn't expecting this.

He didn't know how to react.

He didn't find words.

Or a moment to speak.

He risked all.

Because all this years he have been waiting for this moment.

And he's tired of waiting.

So he risked all.

And surprised the redhead with a desperate kiss.

He's giving all his undying love.

He's giving all his life.

They're not perfect.

But is all he got.

Those parted lips, so soft, so damnably perfect against their own.

He can't stop to kiss them with all his strength.

His arms kept the smooth and wet body against his own.

Without escape.

Without distance.

Like a lifetime in the Himalayas and finally reaching a tropical paradise.

He's in heaven.

He kept applying force and pushed the redhead against some wall.

It was the one of the shower.

The impact broke it and water started to fall.

Ironically he was shaking because his emotions were boiling… finally.

He felt tears in his eyes.

He would never know if they escaped from his eyes.

He's losing control.

His emotions and impulses are tired of understanding advises and reasons.

He takes the redhead from the hips with such strength that causes a whimper that gave him total access to the vulnerable mouth.

He wants to make him forget about her.

He wants him to never think of other person.

That every time somebody else kisses him, there would be nothing compared to this.

He wants to get inside that heart again.

He wants to get lost again.

He was totally concentrated in the sensations, because of that, he felt disoriented when a smallest force pushed him, it wasn't strong enough to separate them, but it caused some distance.

Then he saw it.

Pain.

Those green eyes were full of pain and fear.

This image would haunt him forever.

Dark red hair, infinites drops of water clung to the crimson strands, freckles resting in pale skin, red and swollen lips, they were trembling… the entire body was trembling, causing the drops to fall faster.

But what made his heart clench were those eyes.

So scared.

Like they were seeing the death.

So vulnerable.

"Babe is me." He closed the distance again; with a reassuring smile he strokes faintly one of the wet cheeks and unites their foreheads, so that way just their eyes exist.

The sky falls and it doesn't matter.

They can create their own world.

The day is blue.

With them together.

Clouds, wind, fear, rain.

Gray nights, no moon, just dark winters.

But with just one of Wally's touches.

With his heat and tenderness.

He will find peace.

"Stay away." Whispers frailty the redhead.

"… What?"

Pale eyes watched incredulously how jades ones close with force.

"I'm nothing more nothing morenothingmorenothing… nothing…"

The trembles increased and turned into small vibrations.

Barry worries and tries to strengthen the embrace.

_"Don´t touch me." _

"Wa- "

"Stay away."

"Wally let me just…"

_Hold you. _

"STAY AWAY!"

Wally uses his powers and runs to the other side of the bathroom.

New wounds made company to the old scars of Barry.

Wally doesn't love him anymore?

That's … that's …

That's impossible.

Right?

He studies Wally's behavior, sees how the redhead rubbed at his eyes several times, and takes deep breaths, it's not until the vibrations decreased a little that he perceives bigger drops in the freckled face.

He made him cry.

He needs to fix this.

"Wal- "

"What are you doing here? Who gave you the _right _to come here and and… and… ki-kiss me?"

A blushing Wally is one of his biggest weaknesses.

"I… I wasn't looking for anything I-I just was running without thinking and when I saw you… I-I- I just couldn't stay away... I just…"

"Had to make sure that I don't go back to Central after what happened to Artemis?"

WHAT?

"…" Barry doesn't find words.

Of what on earth is Wally talking?

Lamentably, Wally takes the silence as an affirmation.

"I always had known that leaving me is one of the things that people do effortlessly."

Desperately Barry speaks, without thinking.

Letting his heart find the right words to say.

"I'm here to know why you leaved!"

He did it.

He finally said the words that he has been keeping all this years, the source of his pain.

This time is Wally's turn to look perplexed.

"…"

Babe… say something.

Please.

Don't let me hanging.

"… I-I-I can't believe it." Wally covers his mouth while his jades start to turn hazy.

"Babe..."

"Don't call me that! You, you… don't act like you don't know it… at least have the decency to acknowledge what you did… you don't-don't… God!... you don't have to pretend… I'm not asking you to pretend like you care… but at least… least..."

Green eyes close before the tears are uncontrollable.

Barry's eyes are no longer pale.

He feels Wally's pain.

Feels his own.

Taking advantage of the state of the redhead, he takes gently the love of his life in his arms and hides his own tears in the red locks.

"Why you left me Wally?"

"Stop pretending."

"Wally I've…"

"There is *lie* in believe."

"Babe please…"

"*Over* in lover."

"WALLY!" He takes the boy from the arms.

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER ASKED ME TO STAY!"

Like a bullet.

Like a fucking bullet right in his chest.

Years suffering cause of the fact that this boy would never be his life.

Years remembering days.

Years remembering dangers.

Years remembering histories.

Years remembering laughs.

Years fighting the desire to forget.

And all this pain…

Because of what?

His cowardice?

_ "Never ignore a person who loves you, cares for you, and misses you; because one day, you might wake up from your sleep and realize that you lost the moon while counting the stars." _

Jay was right.

"BECAUSE YOU SEND ME THAT EMAIL TELLING ME THAT I'M NOTHING!"

Wait.

WHAT?!

"Wallace what… of… what are you talking about?... babe I've never send you any email."

"I thought that you already stopped with the lies, stop faking that you don't know." He jerked off Barry's arms and leaved the bathroom while he reassured his towel.

"Babe I can't be more serious right now… of . .talking?" When he saw Wally again, he already was using pjs.

"So the words *Wally, my love for you, is undeniable, but is not the love that you think it is.* aren't familiar for you?"

"…" Barry's breath started to be irrational.

Something is wrong.

Something is very wrong.

"Look, I don't know what you win with all this charade but…" Wally sees him with mistrust before he goes to the living room.

Barry had all the intentions of the universes to follow him but…

"Grrrrr."

The Pit bull is awake.

And it's only cute when is asleep.

"Katniss not yet, I'll tell you when."

And just like that, Katniss? Sits next to Wally in the sofa, with her eyes never leaving him.

He ignores her and watches Wally search for something in the laptop, and via Bluetooth the printer turns on.

"Here." With brusqueness the redhead gave him the paper.

The first thing that he recognizes is that it says his Justice League's address.

This email was send from the platform that Batman himself built.

Something is seriously wrong.

"You send me this the day that Iris told me that she knew about us."

"IRIS WHAT?!"

Iris.

His wife.

Knew.

Knows.

And she…

She talked with Wally?

What's happening?

The redhead seems confused too.

Barry didn't know that his wife talked to him?

It's just a game Wally.

He just wants to make sure that you are out of the picture.

"Barry, just leave, I'm tired of this game, you win… I'm not going to put a foot in Central again if that's what you want… now l.e.a.v.e!"

Please.

Stop humiliating me.

"… Wally I-I… just…" Barry starts to read the paper.

_Love can be very confusing. It makes you question yourself that if you love someone so much, you should still be with them. That is not always the case. _

_Wally, my love for you, is undeniable, but is not the love that you think it is._

_I love you as an uncle loves his nephew, as a father loves his son. _

_And nothing more._

_I was confused, you loved me with such passion that I thought that I should return it._

_You are beautiful, you are more intelligent than anyone I know and it goes beyond the normal book smarts, you have real world common sense; because you have faith in people. You understand the world and people and always know the right thing to do. And then you do that right thing. You are such a kind and stunning person. _

_Because of those qualities it was a human mistake of mine to feel confused. _

_But the love for my family helped me to gain some sense._

_Wally, you're way too young to be broken, you're way too young to play these games. _

_I know it might seem frightening, to have the world fall apart right under your shoes. _

_But you'll make it through, in a couple of years, in the future; you'll see that the world would just see us as a jailbait and his victim. _

_I don't want to upset you or cause any hard feelings or fight with you in any way. You are a wonderful, beautiful, young boy. But that's just it. Right now you came to a crossroad in your life, where you must turn to the farthest one. _

_Life moves on and so does relationships. You have to be strong and do it for yourself. Although you have strong feelings now, do you think that by splitting up in the long term, you will be a much happier person? _

_The right answer is no. _

_I will stay in touch with you from time to time to see how things are going, and I will miss you when you'll move away, but in the bottom of our hearts we know that this is the right decision._

You know, I will always love you.

_ Good luck kid. _

_B.A. _

He reads it fifty six times in one second.

He didn't.

He wouldn't.

He would EVER write those words.

So full of…

… Lies.

He wouldn't do this to Wally.

Not a chance.

" _Now_ you remember?... The jailbait part is _priceless._"

He came tonight to search for an answer.

He found it.

Barry searches frantically and finds the real victim.

In the farthest corner, with his knees up to his chin and his arms wrapped tightly around his trembling legs.

"…Wally." He kneels in front of the little vibrating ball.

"Jailbait… jailbait Barry… did I really was just a jailbait to you?"

"No, Wally please, babe, please _believe_ me I didn't at any circumstance wrote this.

"…"

"This is the work of that rebellious archer; he never approved what we had."

It would be so easy.

To _believe. _

But there is *us* in trust.

And they were never really together.

"It doesn't matter."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter if you wrote those words or not…. Because they are true… In what we had… reasons are missing, and motives abounds."

"Wally, I don't regret the things I've done, I regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance."

"I'm tired…just leave."

"Wally." Barry holds the breathtakingly face of his brightest treasure.

_"Please." _

He'll find a way to win his trust again.

Even if that is the last thing he does.

He kisses the tears, the eyelashes, the nose, freckles above the eyes, and when he was going to kiss those lips…

The redhead stopped him with a hand in his chest.

"You'll love me again... Is a promise."

CHAPTER II (PART VIII)

Roy was tired, he felt drowned, Lian had a bad night, and he had to stay awake until now to calm her daughter's fever.

Her teeth will start to grow at any minute.

He was going to the kitchen to drink some coffee before work, when an unstoppable force sends him to the frail door that broke at the impact.

He didn't have a chance to recover when someone grabbed him by his shirt.

"I know that you did it."

He instantly recognizes the voice.

_Him. _

Internally he is surprised to see pale eyes, the coward this time confronted him with the cowl down.

Good.

Now he can glare directly at the man.

"How. did. you. find. me." Roy Harper is the only person capable to demand an answer without asking a question.

"I can give a round the world in seven seconds do you really think that is hard for me to find your little hideout?"

"Get. Out."

"Stay away from Wally and me, I know what you did."

"You are talking bullshit."

Harper found out the importance of the speed in a punch.

Lian woke up and started to cry.

"Thanks your daughter, she just saved your life."

A/N: I really appreciate those little moments you take to read the fic, I hope that you enjoy it. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 3

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER III

PART I

_4 years ago._

He was completely drained.

Earlier _or it was yesterday?_after he left Wally at his aunt's house he went to California to go to the concert, but he couldn't put a feet in the square of the old theater, not without Wally, after all, the speedster was the original planer, not him; he just took the opportunity to spend more time with him. All he wanted was to spend a few hours like a normal teenager, just the two of them, friends without worries, without responsibilities, without a weight in their shoulders… but with a life.

A life without _them._

Without _gods_ moving strands in their life and decisions.

First dead before admitting it, but he was hoping to spend more time with Wally, he's the only person that makes him forget about his… identity disorder. With his silliness and behavior, the green-eyed gave his mind a rest.

Also, he wanted to keep Wally as busy as possible, away from _him_, god knows that he is dealing everyday to not disobey his moral rules and throw an arrow to the man's chest.

No, he doesn't give a damn if the man _loves_ Wally, because a couple of kisses and a few words mean nothing, if the man loved Wally he wouldn't put the green-eyed in a dangerous situation.

He wouldn't take advantage of Wally's naive vision of the world, and make him believe that everything would be alright. Because he already saw it, just a slip, one freaking mistake, a door not locked, the flash of a camera, a conversation on the phone, a sms not erased… _anything _could destroy Wally's perfect world.

And that man… He bets his life, but that man would do nothing but to run away and hide in his wife's arms.

The League would forgive one of the original seven; the league would pretend that nothing happened, just like they forgot about the original Roy… but what about Wally? They don't care about the junior League, they didn't care when Tula died, they didn't care when Kaldur discovered his antecessors… So why would this time be different?

And he can't stand to see another friend being hurt.

Not Wally.

Wally is different.

Why?

Because he is a true hero… all of them are, but no one is like Wally.

Wally isn't a hero because of an act of revenge, or because somebody made him a proposal, or because he wanted to prove something to the world. Wally is a hero because he wanted to, he wanted to be somebody that helped, not by exploding meteor rocks with his mind, but by making the life of the citizens of Central a little bit easier.

He is a special kid.

And that _man_ can't exactly give him what Wally deserves.

For Wally, he always expected, somebody of his own age, a girl maybe not smarter than him in the academics, but smarter in the aspects of life, someone that can show him a normal life, but at the same time accepts him for who he really is, someone that can accept that Kid Flash is needed and would be that way for a long time; someone that helps the kid with his self-esteem problems, someone that just… realizes how lucky she is.

Just that.

And that _in-the-middle-of-his-thirties-married-with-the-fool's-aunt-man_ isn't any of that.

Lately his mind if isn't thinking about his last failed mission in the ends of the world trying to find the real Roy, his mind keeps him busy by being worried about Wally.

So that's why he spend the money he saved to feed Wally in a bar.

Yeap, he drunk until the bar throws them with some country music.

He isn't sure how he got back to Star City, he didn't take the zeta-tube, but the taste of cricket tells him that maybe he accepted the ride of the group of motorcyclists.

Unbelievable but the random curses said by him while he was climbing the stairs helped him to gain some clarity, so that's why when he opened the door and watched his crappy apartment he instantly knew it.

Somebody entered.

Immediately his right hand holds an arrow.

Step by step, he watched with caution the place, the window was wide open causing that the neighbor's cat came in, he ignored the animal's stare on his person and noticed that everything was just like when he left, no signs of rob, except that the pile of maps on his table was spread on the floor just like if a rush of wi…

Electric blue eyes opened in realization.

He rapidly went to his bedroom and saw…

…

The lights were turned out but the curtains were open, so the lights of the city illuminated some areas of the small room, clothes were spread on the floor, arrows, broken bows, even some bottles _not precisely of water_; in the bed was curled up a teen, his clothes were too small compared to the ones spread on the floor, his legs were flexed, his arms were lying… lifeless.

The body of the teen, the body that holds a power unknown to the owner was lying… lifeless, red strands made a strong contrast with the white blankets, normally a lightly golden skin was turned pale, making petite dots to draw attention in the lithe body. But… in the usually kind features, was… nothing, the face showed no emotion, making the boy look just like a Miguel Angel Buonaroti's piece, his striking green emeralds were just fine lines, the boy was in a trance.

But what really stopped Roy's heart were the traces of tears… small traces that ended in lips covered with little marks and dots of blood.

He was going to kill him.

With not even a small piece of guilt.

Nothing.

But before, he was going to make him beg for a fast death.

He was going to shoot an arrow to his right leg first, so that way when he tries to move with the other, his skin tears, then he shoots the left hand, obliging him to kneel, then he was going to punch his face so many times and so hard that he was going to be unrecognizable, then he kicks him on the ribs… That bastard was going to die by the loss of blood.

"Meow."

Roy stops abruptly packing some arrows with venom at the sound of the cat climbing into the bed.

"…Meow." The little fella was trying to get Wally's attention.

Not even a blink.

Roy sees his arrows, then at his friend, then again at his arrows…

… and sighs.

It has to wait, either way the bastard is up there in some stupid galaxy, at billions and billions of kilometers away.

"ARG!" Without control he punches the wall, thanks to the cheap material, his fist goes through it, causing bruises by the small pieces of wood.

He didn't protect him.

He failed him.

He predicted the disaster.

He saw it coming.

But he didn't do anything about it.

He was busy with his self-imposed quest.

He knew that he was the only one that could stop this nonsense.

He was the only one that Wally could run to for help.

He knew so much, and did so little.

Congrat's Roy, you couldn't protect your little fox.

You surpassed your latest failure, by making a bigger one.

He inhales and exhales several times before he decides that he can confront the situation with a calm façade.

He approaches to the bed with slow steps; his jaw was clenched tightly, his eyes were focused on the normally boyish features of the teen, he tries to stay focused on the fact that his friend needs him, that he needs to check on him, to make sure that he… that he…

He what?

That he is alright?

THE BOY IS ON A FREAKIG TRANCE?!

Ignoring the furious beating of his heart, he was going to sit next to his friend, but he hesitates, and decides to kneel in front of him.

"… Wa-Wally?" He swallowed abruptly, with the hope to gain composure.

"…"

The pupils of the boy were dilated and the green of his eyes was blurry.

"Wally?" In an act of anxiety he takes one of the hands of the boy, and a hint of a grin crosses his face rapidly at seeing how small it looks compared to his own.

The Wally he knows would pout and act indignantly saying that he would grow up soon, that at least he is taller than Dick.

He takes both hands and rubs them with his own, they are so cold.

Immediately he remembers one of Wally's consequences when he doesn't eat.

He loses corporal temperature.

Under his breath he curses, he doesn't have any food, not one that has not expired.

Just cigarettes.

He sees again his friend in that state, and with unknown fragility he removes the tears.

"Hold on." He whispers before he removes his shoes, jacket and awkwardly he lies next to him.

He isn't good at this.

He wasn't trained in the comforting area.

That was Kaldur's department.

But Wally needs him.

He didn't run to Dick.

He runs to him.

Uncomfortable with his hidden nervousness he sits with his back against the headboard, and carefully takes the boy and accommodates him against his chest, wrapping his arms around the cold body.

"… I know… *sighs* I know that it's too late, but… I'm here to protect you Wally, I'm gonna help you… I'm…I'm here for you."

He didn't see the last tear that escaped from the emeralds eyes.

_Day one._

Any sign of life, except breathing.

_Day two._

Wally had his first panic attack. He didn't awoke, just created a pattern in which his body vibrates by seconds.

_Day three._

Wally's body won't resist any other day. So he decided to feed him intravenously.

He'll repay the money he took from the neighbor's room.

_Day four._

Wally had eight panic attacks. He kept saying "jailbait", "nothing", "Barry", "aunt" and "sorry".

_Day five._

Dick called… he lied.

At two in the morning Wally's temperature was below 28ºC.

He carried him in his arms and ran desperately to the shower; he used his own body as shield to prevent any burn in the freckled skin.

At 2:34 he recognized through the steam a pair of emeralds that were watching him and…

"…R-Roy…"

There are no words to describe what he felt at that moment.

So in an uncharacteristic act he actually hugged his little fox.

And _laughed_. All his worries, fears and anxieties lightened.

Wally blinked a few times, he must be dreaming, he thought while he rested his head in the strong chest.

A beautiful dream in which his friend laughs.

They stayed that way a few minutes; both boys on the floor, under the steaming water, their clothes were completely soaked; Roy never looked in another direction that wasn't the smaller boy, he was petting the bronze hair strands while he watched the color returning to the sleepy face.

Hollow. Empty. Wounded.

Wally knows exactly what happened to him, he blocked his mind from reality; he ran away from the pain, he ceded his reality to his subconscious, he denied the reality.

With the constant thumping of Roy's heart he keeps his mind blank, he is afraid of thinking, afraid of feeling… afraid of living.

He tries to move his legs… it's a vain effort.

He can't feel them.

He instantly tenses, and Roy's response is immediate.

Those strong arms held him tightly.

"It's time to get out of here." He carries him and carefully puts him on the bed.

He feels stupid staying on the bed completely soaked from head to toe.

Roy just grins amused, but is doesn't last long at the sight of his friend's attempt to move.

"When muscles stop getting used, they deteriorate quickly, and well… five days without any movement to Kid Flash… that's a long time don't you think?"

That's Roy's Harper trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"…"

"… Yeahhh; I'll get some towels."

"I was…"

Roy stops abruptly. And mentally cringes at the pain heard in Wally's voice.

"… I-I fell asleep for fi-five days?"

_"No you fool; you've been in a freaking coma for five days, nearly dying of inanition and hypothermia because a man that doesn't deserve you." _

Roy lowers his head and with a big inhalation he decides to do was he thinks Wally needs _now_.

He sits next to him and awkwardly tries to think for an answer.

"Wally you… when you… when I looked at you…"

_Tries._

"… Sorry."

Soaked strands were covering his eyes, he was biting his lips and he thinks that he just felt a vibration across the bed.

He knows this boy so well that he swears that if it wasn't for his condition, he would be playing with his hair.

"I'm sorry, for all the trouble, is just… I didn't know where else… I'm so sorry Roy…"

Oh Wally.

"Shhh… It's ok, it's ok." He embraces the lithe body one more time, and lets the boy hide his face in his neck.

"I'm sorry." Slowly Wally moves his arms and hugs Roy by the neck.

Roy frowns and separates them lightly, in a way that their faces are just millimeters apart. "Don't you dare to say sorry one more time West!"

"…" The small mouth was already open to keep apologizing.

"I care about you and… ***sighs***… with me, you don't need to apologize _for anything…_ Understood?"

"…" The emeralds looked down.

"Hey..." He rises up the pale face by the chin and stares at those eyes.

"…"

"West did I make myself clear?"

"…" Just a nod, before the boy rushes and hugs his neck again in a way that his face stays hidden.

Roy smiles lightly, did he just saw the boy blush?

The next days Roy decided to accept a job just in the workshop across the street, he hates it, but it lets him to stay near Wally.

The kid is recovering well, he can walk now, not run, but with a few exercises and therapeutic massages that Dinah taught him, and the boy would be… not fine, but… yeah physically fine.

Wally doesn't eat if he doesn't invite him, stays for hours in the shower, avoids the TV like if it has leprosy, doesn't turn on the radio, just reads some books he has about archery and now he started doing experiments with his arrows, almost all of them turned out to be great improvements, but what terrifies him is…

… He hasn't used his powers _at all_.

Wally is a speedster has one of the most unique and specials gifts, his powers define him, they gave him a freedom that become a part of Wally's personality, the boy even used to brag about them, and now…

Is gone.

He understands the reason, the kid doesn't want to remember _him_, and his powers are the ultimate reminder of that man, but…

Not because he dislikes and _hates_ Green Arrow, doesn't mean that he would stop being an archer.

Yes, he understands that is not the same, but, Wally can't turn his back on what he really is.

And that's not even the worst part, Wally's panic attacks haven't disappeared, thank god that he has a light sleep and that way he can awake Wally before he starts to lose control of his body temperature.

There are some nights that Wally's ashamed and doesn't want to awaken Roy and moves to the couch, those nights are the worst for Roy because he doesn't know if Wally wants a time on his own, or doesn't want to bother him. Yes the stubborn boy doesn't get that he is not a burden to Roy.

Tonight was one of those nights.

Electric blue eyes stared at the cheap ceiling, Roy was lying on the bed completely aware of the soft sobs across the room, he felt useless and impotent.

There are nights that he wishes that he was Dick, the little guy always has a way to make Wally grin.

… He should call him.

But then the Bat-clan would know.

He can't let that happen.

He accommodates in a way that he stares at the spot in which Wally sleeps next to him.

Without a second thought he grabs the pillow and covers his face with it, using it to dissipate a groan.

After a couple of seconds he distinguish the smell of his shampoo and something else, he smiles tiredly… Wally.

He gets up and walks towards the little ball on his couch.

He gently touches the trembling back and in less than a second green eyes stare at him.

"Hey."

"…Hey"

He had noticed something else, Wally no longer cries with tears.

Is like, he no longer has any tears.

He cries out his sadness, but without tears.

He sits next to the boy and waits…

"Sorry."

There it is.´

He just glares.

"?" The younger just tilts his head in confusion.

"Whatever." He mumbles annoyed.

"…"

"So…"

"… After you let me in front of my a-aunt's house, the day of the concert… She talked to me… she asked me if I was seeing some-someone and if that was the reason of why I haven't decided yet a university."

Roy's body instantly tenses.

Wally has never told him anything of the reason of why he was here.

Obviously he _knows _that something happened with that man, but… the reason per se… no.

"… She-she… she… I don't know how but she…"

Roy saw how Wally's respiration was changing, so that's why he held one of Wally's hands in a reassurance gesture.

"You don't have to tell me anything."

Wally denied with his head. "Yes, yes I do… I need to tell you, so that way… I can… my _mind_ can accept that this is real… that this is happening to me, so… let-let me finish ok?"

Roy nods and strengthens his hold.

"She _knew_, I don't know for how long… but she knew… and-and I feel so _bad_, and _worthless_, a-and like the worst piece of shit in the fucking world…"

Roy lets go the trembling hand and takes the boy in his arms sitting him on his lap, that gesture became a reflex now.

"I couldn't lie to her, not anymore, I couldn't disappoint her one more time… so I admit it, and I… ran away… to my house… were my communicator beeped with an announcement that I received a League's email… I checked it afraid and…"

"…" _and?_

When Roy looked down, he saw that the boy fell asleep.

_Of course._

The next morning Roy felt that his back was a puzzle conformed by pieces that didn't match, at the end of the month this couch was so out of here.

He should have fallen asleep with the speedster.

He opened his eyes and smiled tiredly at seeing the freckled face so close to his own.

"Hey! Don't close your eyes again!" He felt how the weight over him changed while the boy stirred his shoulder.

"Morning to you too."

"Yeah, yeah, hurry! I'm hungry!"

Roy's eyes stared wide open… Did Wally just said?… It has been years since he heard those words from that mouth.

"…"

"What?"

"Nothing… just… what you want to eat?" Says Roy while he sits with Wally staying on his lap.

"Hamburgers!"

"… It's nine in the morning."

"So?"

"I'm not going to make hamburgers at nine in the morning."

"But..."

"Fine." He stands up making the boy fall on the floor.

"Ouch."

"It hurts?"

"Not much."

"Good, because we are going to train those legs of yours."

"But…"

"Yes, I'm going to make your damn hamburgers first."

PART II

4 years ago.

"Didn't thirty seven ignored calls send you a message?" He whispered with anger boiling in his voice.

"Roy the League hasn't found him."

"That doesn't surprise me."

"I can't believe that you are not here." The voice in the other line wasn't exactly warm either.

"I have things to do."

"Like what?! Roy, Wally has been missing for almost three weeks!?" Roy suppressed a sigh, he doesn't have to deal with a freaked out bird.

" . .do."

"Roy… is Wally… WALLY… I-I don't know where he is or how he is or if he is even..."

"Cut it out Grayson. What you want me to do? I already checked out my quadrant and I found nothing." He cuts abruptly the desperate voice of his friend, it makes him feels uncomfortable. Dick Grayson never loses his cool.

"TO BE HERE! TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM!"

"…" He sees the reflection of the window in front of him, and distinguishes the figure of a sleepy boy stroking absently the ears of the neighbor's cat.

"Well? Are you gonna come?" Roy knows Dick as well as Wally, he knows the hell he must be living right now, and to even put his pride aside and ask for Roy's help for several times, says a lot about how much Dick cares for Wally.

"You have already an archer."

"… You are a bastard."

"So are you if my memory doesn't fool me." And at that moment he ends the call.

He knows that he is going to pay for that. Thinks absently as he passes his hands through his hair.

He needs a haircut.

"You shouldn't have done that." Says the boy on the couch.

"I think that I can handle a 1.50 mts boy." Tries to lighten up the mood; he didn't want for Wally to hear that conversation.

"He is a bat-boy."

"… Yeah."

"Still, you shouldn't have done that."

"I'm not afraid of him."

"I wasn't talking about that… You shouldn't have to play the bad guy to keep my secret."

Roy's shoulders tense, it's been a while since Wally used that tone.

"Hey it's my secret too." He sits on the floor next to the younger teen.

He didn't see Wally hesitates before he starts to stroke his hair instead.

The haircut can wait.

"I think that I should go hom-to my parent's house."

"… Yeah?… Are you sure?" _You want to go?_

"I'm not ready, I'm not _fine_, I'm not _cured_, but I'm ready to face the consequences." _No I don't want to._

Roy catches one of the hands that were giving him soft strokes, but doesn't face those eyes.

"I'm here if you need me." _Then why you leave?_

"You aren't going to Morocco? You told me months ago that you heard that Psimon was there." _Because I have to._

"I-I… it can wait, I heard that he is collecting people there." _Don't. leave. me._

None of them were aware that they were still holding hands.

"No it can't, I can't interrupt your life, you've done more than enough, so much more… thank you."

"…"

"Also, I'm so… mmmmhhhppp!"

Two seconds and six milliseconds, less than one mississippi; counted Wally while his lips made contact with Roy's.

"Stop apologizing!" And just like that Roy stood up and didn't think of how adorable Wally looked all blushed. "And YOU! Stupid cat it's time for you to go to your real home."

"Meow?"

The cat didn't really had a chance and let the last link in the food chain to get him back to that stinky old couple.

Wally blinked several times before he slides on the couch and closes his eyes. He inhales deeply; he wants to remember the scent of this place forever.

PART III

_4 years ago._

He couldn't use the zeta-tube, or before he puts a foot in Central's territory, the League would be on his face demanding questions, or maybe they would send him a dart with elephant's sedative.

So he used his speed.

He had to focus in his last train with Roy at the Star Bridge, before he started a panic attack in where his mind played like an old movie the words sent to him via email.

It's too soon, to be healed.

But everybody else's lives continue.

And he can't keep them back.

He has an auto-defense system, the _denial_.

He learned that he can't pretend like it didn't happen, because his mind and heart won't let him rest in peace.

So he has to pretend like it doesn't affect him.

It's a different approach, which could work.

_It has to._

With those thoughts he enters the house he has been avoiding.

His own.

He tries with all his force to prevent the vibrations in his body to be noticeable to the human eye.

"Wally!?… Rudy! Wally is home!" Wally went still at seeing his mother approach him, but before he did anything, strong arms pulled him against a male chest.

"Wally! Where have you been? You had everybody worried!" Wally let go the breath he has been holding since he left Roy's apartment.

"I-I… I'm sorry."

"Well you better be! You had no idea how worried were we; your dad closed the door in Batman's face!" Wally noticed that his mother just patted him awkwardly.

"You bet I did."

Did his dad just hugged him and his mother patted him?

Maybe he is in an alternate dimension after all.

"Rudy, let the boy breathe, so Wally you and I have a few things to discuss, why you don't wait for me upstairs?" There was something in his mother's face that sends him chills across his back.

"What? Mary, just watch the boy, the kid needs food, why don't you give him something, and let him explain the situation?... I'm gonna call my sister."

"NO!"

Rudy West watched curiously at his family.

"Well, she must be really busy and look at the hour, I think she is still at work, let's not stress her out." Says his mother while she plays nervously with her wedding ring.

Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

His mother _knows_. She _knows._ His aunt should have told her.

He is going to panic; he has to run… he has to run _now_.

Like reading his mind, her mother grabs him by the arm and makes it look like she is holding him in some kind of an embrace, but he knows better, she is keeping him still.

"Let's have dinner." She says with a nice smile.

Wally loves her mother skills in the kitchen, she is splendid, and she puts so much effort, but, right now, actually it's been a while since he feels like _eating_, he isn't that hungry anymore, probably because he isn't using his powers.

However he pushes the food inside his mouth, he knows better than generate a misunderstanding. Also he totally avoids any look at her direction.

Although his father isn't his father for nothing and notices a change. "Wally, why are you eating… normal?"

"Whatdoyoumean?"

"You know, with… manners?"

"…"

"No offense but, your mom and I were really worried for you… why don't you tell us where have you been? Or at least tell us what the hell have you been doing?"

Wally swallows with the help of water and ignores the burning stare coming from her mother's direction.

"I…I-I was helping a friend in an uncover mission, where were we, we didn't have any link with technology so I couldn't communicate, also I was there as a friend, no Kid Fl… no my other me, so I didn't contact the League, sorry for worrying you, it was never my intention… I screwed up and…"

"But you aren't hurt honey?" When Wally looks at her mother, he sees real concern in her eyes.

_In so many ways._

"Not much, I had to stay still for days, so my legs feel a little numb but, I will live."

She studies his face searching for the truth.

"Well, I better not find any blood in your cloth or you will be grounded for life… Rudy." He sees her mother send a mom-glare to his father before she disappears with the dishes.

"Come on Mary I'm not gonna speak about _that_ now! He just came home!" Wally hates when people talk about him like he isn't right there.

Both men cringed at the sound of the dishes roughly putted down.

"Rudolph my son has been missing for twenty three days, for twenty three days I've been sleeping three hours per day, watched for 24/7 the news channel, and read the crimes section of the newspaper, unless you want to cook your own food for the rest of your life I need you to talk to him _now_."

"But…"

"NOW!"

His father looks at him, then at his mother, then at him again and…

Sighs.

"I'm gonna talk to him." His father mumbled.

"Good, now Wally, please listen to your father, later we are gonna have a little talk too." She strokes his hair lightly before she returns to the kitchen.

He needs to leave before that conversation happens.

"Wally, son, … let's talk on the living room."

"I'm gonna hear you wherever you go Rudy!"

"I swear, she wasn't like that when I married her."

Wally just looks at him with something very close to pity.

"Wallace…"

Bad sign, bad, bad, very bad sign.

"…these days have been very stressful for all of us, we didn't know where you were, or with whom, the police department couldn't find any sign of kidnapping, not even the League or your friends… your friend Robin?, had a fight with Batman because he suggested that you just escaped, and I had fought with Batman when he suggested that we were the reason of why you left. Can you believe it? There are times when your mom grounds you, but that's because there are times that you need to see the real life, and is just a week without your toys…"

"Technological equipment."

"Whatever you call it son, but your mom thought this trough and…"

"Both of us thought it!"

"_Both_ of us came to the conclusion that… the best for you is to… well son, you can think it, analyze it, and then decide, but… for your safety, and your mom's sanity, the best for you is to…"

"Wallace, you need to stop your adventures as Kid Flash." Says her mom entering.

He doesn't look at her eyes, he is afraid to see that _look_, that look full of disappointment, and pain, he saw it already in his aunt's eyes, he isn't strong enough to see it in his mother's eyes… he wouldn't resist it.

Not his mom.

He was a fool, he isn't ready.

_This doesn't affect you._

You knew the consequences.

You knew that this could happen.

But you thought that it was worth it.

It was worth it Wally?

_Yes._

"Mary I told you that the best for him was to wait until tomorrow, we should have let him rest."

"It's a… it's a great idea." He bites his tongue until he swallows blood.

"…" In another moment, in another situation, in another life, he would have laughed at his dad expression, not now, not today.

"I was already thinking in taking a break, with college and everything, I decided to study two careers and… well that will take time and… Kid Fls-KF… he has to wait." _Forever._

He knows what he is doing.

He knows the meaning of his words.

He is giving up.

He is giving up who he is.

But he is who he is thanks to _him_.

He owns _him_ the best months of his life.

He owns _him_ his powers.

He owns _him_ his alter ego.

He owns _him_ his friends.

And if he has to stop being himself, so that way he can't stop thinking of him.

So be it.

That his friends would be disappointed?

If they knew the truth they would hate him.

Even if they don't, they would be in trouble for trying to help.

He messed up the life of the one he loves, the right thing to do is to disappear and let him have his life back.

_He_ said it in the email… that he needs to take the farthest rout… he will.

Is just…

It _hurts._

He _loves_ his powers.

He _loves_ being who he is.

He _loves_ his friends.

He loves _him._

But he is not worth it.

He doesn't deserve _him_.

He is a… he is a jailbait.

Just that.

The unexpected touch on his shoulder, made him create a vibration.

He needs to collect himself.

"Wally, honey, you are cold, let's talk upstairs. Rudy could you please leave the boxes near the front door?"

Boxes?

"Mary are you sure? Now?"

"They called today five times Rudy, he needs to go as soon as possible or there is a chance that they call somebody else."

Going where?

He sees his father hesitates before he goes to the basement.

Instantly his mother takes him by the arm and leads him upstairs… to his room.

Just after he hears the door close, he feels the burn in his cheek.

His mother slapped him.

His green eyes closed with hurt, not physical…

His parents ever putted a hand on him.

Ever.

"In all my life I never felt so humiliated." The voice of his mother was full of disappointment and anger.

So much anger.

"…" He looked at the floor.

_This doesn't affect you._

"Do you have idea how I felt when Iris called me? And told me that _my son_, my seventeen years old _son_ was sleeping with her husband!?"

"…" _Run._

"And by what I'm seeing it is true."

"…" _Run._

"Where on earth have you been?"

"…"

"With him?"

Bronze locks moved while the green-eyed denied with his head.

"Then with whom? Another married man?"

_Please… run._ "I was with a friend." For the first time he raises his head and notices that… there is nothing.

His room… is empty.

"A friend?… Wally don't you dare to underestimate me now; you could be all smart you want with your fancy words and science stuffs but… don't you dare to play those tricks on me. With whom on earth you were?"

"Roy."

"… The Star City's boy?"

"… Ye-es."

Mary West sees the hurt in the eyes of her son, while he was watching the empty room.

This isn't easy for her.

"This is for your own good. You need to stay away from here… that _science_ world that you love corrupted you, corrupted _my boy_, you are _sick_ Wally, so I took the best decision for you and this family…"

_I'm sick?_

"…"

Wally feels the difference between the warmth in Roy's arms and his mother's… what?

She tried to touch him… but she hesitated… like she will catch cancer.

"I'm protecting you honey, I want my boy back, so that's why we are going to keep this as a secret ok? Your father doesn't know and I'm not gonna tell, because I want the best for you, yes sweetheart?"

_This doesn't affect you._

Wally doesn't know what to say and just stares at the space where was his bed.

He can't look at his mother right now.

"That's why you are going to Stanford, the Wayne's foundation offered you a scholarship that is highly better than any other offer. This Thursday starts the orientation program, so that's why you should go already. I already packed your clothes… The rest… well… We are gonna sell them, and send you the money, so that way you receive an extra help."

"I… I haven't even ended high school…" Wally shuts up, because he starts to feel the dizziness before a black out.

"You already passed all your subjects, and the rest could be arranged."

Arranged?… Like… like when the fridge didn't work and you send it to a workshop downtown? That kind of arranged mom?

He doesn't take it anymore and rushes to the bathroom to throw up.

He tenses when he feels her mother nails on his scalp.

"This is for your own good, this way you can be _cured_ Wally, maybe with a new air everything would start to go back to _normal_, I'm your mother and _I LOVE YOU_ with my _life _but with your childish acts you need your mom to take the good decisions for you. Now, I'm going downstairs to help your father, for your own good I hope that you'll get over this fast and meet us downstairs, your father is going to leave you at the airport, your stuffs would be there in two days tops… Is just a _phase_ Wally, you'll be ok, you'll be _fine_."

She kisses him on the cheek and leaves.

She did the right thing.

She needed to rush.

Before that _man_ hears that Wally came back, and tries to contact him.

She did the right thing.

Then… why does it feels like she is just making everything worse?

Just like Iris said, she had to do it… for the family.

_This doesn't affect you._

Of all the things that he predicted in his head, that could happen today… not even in his worst nightmares he would have predicted _this_.

"Barry… I need you." A frail whisper.

_I need you so much._

He washes his face and avoids his reflection in the mirror.

He has never been so scared in his life.

When he woke up tied up and with sedatives via IV in a room alone, just with the Joker, he wasn't this scared.

When his leg was trapped under a wooden beam in the middle of a fire, he wasn't this scared.

When Luthor send him a heat detector's missile that could reach Mach 3, he wasn't this scared.

Because he knew that he counted with _him_.

That he would take him away from the danger.

Now he is alone.

Barry noticed that he was just wasting his time with a kid.

_This doesn't affect you._

With his new mantra he went downstairs, just to find no other than Richard Grayson on his parent's house living room.

PART IV.

_4 years ago._

"Are you sure that is not a big problem for you? We don't want to create any trouble."

"It's not a problem at all."

_A charming smile. _

In the middle of the living room was standing a teen, lean, dangerous, dressed in a uniform made to be invisible at the night… In the middle of the living room was standing no other than Robin.

Well for most of the population around the world, because to Wally… All he could see were pieces, yes, pieces of his friend … Dick.

The cape misplaced, the gloves forgotten… Robin can't let himself commit a mistake, can't think in other thing besides the mission, that's why… All he can see are pieces of Robin… but he clearly sees his friend Dick.

The only things that he can see are impossible blue eyes staring at him… The world just sees lenses of a domino mask.

He missed him.

_So much._

"Oh Wally! Your friend came to see you; I was going to tell him that the report from your mission with Roy can wait."

Sometimes he wonders if his mother is doing this on purpose.

You know, make him feel like a piece of shit and all…

"Mi-mission?… I-I see… I just offered myself to give you a ride… Mrs. West just told me about your Wayne's scholarship, I'm glad that you decided to live in Gotham."

The youngest in the room shifted uncomfortably. Another crack in Robin's image.

The redhead opened his mouth; he wanted so badly to stop _this_.

"Gotham? Oh no! Wally is going to Stanford… can you imagine Mary? Wally living in Gotham? Hahaha… Mary would go nuts!"

The only woman in the room ignores her husband's comment and feels the tension between the teens… She said something wrong?

"It's getting late, and I don't want you to be up so late, both of you need to rest… let's say good bye to our boy Rudy."

Wally doesn't end to understand what's happening but… just… He feels like he's watching a movie and… he doesn't end to assimilate that this is really happening to him.

He stares at his father's face while the man puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him some words that he can't understand… he listens but… no… he… is this really happening?

His mother comes next, she stares at him, her eyes, her expression… is full of determination… She wants him to be gone so badly? She finally breaks and hugs him really tightly.

"Is just a _phase_ Wally, you'll be ok, you'll be _fine."_ She murmurs again those words.

Dick hears them; and behind that mask blue eyes seem confused.

There is something seriously wrong here.

Wally just came home after three weeks missing and they send him to… Stanford?

Wayne's scholarships are for Gotham's universities only.

_What the hell is going on? _

Wally absently nods and awkwardly steps away.

Extremely wary eyes watch with caution the behavior of the redhead.

The jades of the teen seem blurry and unfocused, like he is not really in the room; the teen picks up some random bag without really seeing it and leaves with just a bearably audible "Bye".

A second later Mary West rushes upstairs and the only sound audible is the sound of the door closing upstairs.

A sigh behind Dick… it was Rudolph's.

"I don't understand her… Why she send him away so soon if she is going to cry about it?… I'm going to call my sister; she and Barry must be really worried about Wally… Robin?"

"Yes Mr. West?"

"Please keep an eye on him; I know that he is more than capable to take care of himself but…"

"I will." _Always._

PART V.

_4 years ago._

When Dicks steps outside the West residence he lets out the air that he has been holding.

He is so fucking _tired_.

He is _sick_ of this costume, he is _sick _of the League, he is _sick _of Batman, he is _sick _of Roy, he is _sick _of Wally.

Always trying to keep up with him, to catch him… for what?

Nights without sleep, days seeing monitors, days hacking satellites…

And the moron was with Roy all this time.

And on top of that he goes to Stanford… instead of Gotham.

For the first time in his life, he really wishes for the Joker to escape from Arkham tonight… or Pain, yes he could be a nice punch bag.

Fuck that, he is going to Star City.

He won't sleep until he punches that son of a bitch in the face.

"It wasn't his fault."

He ignores the voice and starts to walk to his bike.

Yes the legendary Robin for the first time made a mistake and let the bike without any camouflage. The legendary Robin turned into a dumb because he was so worried for his friend that when he recognized the kinetic energy in the monitor, he didn't think it and went to see his friend.

_Stupid Robin_.

He ignores the light steps behind him. Wally doesn't know it, but if he really tries it and focuses on it, he could be inaudible and kind of a ninja… but he is too clumsy to be one. Maybe are his powers or something, but he has a natural lightness, one that it took him months to master.

He clicks his tongue annoyed.

_Stupid _Robin.

"Rob? Please listen to me."

_Stupid _Robin.

"Rob?" In a blink Wally was in front of him.

He is pale, the lightly golden tone that he envied so much is gone, there are traces of bad nights under his eyes, his hair is really long, he should put some red locks behind his ear if he doesn't want to hit with something, and his eyes are so… _tired_.

He looks… defeated.

_Where on earth were you?_

He wants to ask him so many questions.

But his pride has been crushed too many times for today.

"I can give you a ride to Gotham, but not to Stanford, actually I'm not going to Gotham either, so move out of my sight."

He pushes the teen out of his way and starts the engine.

"Where are y… Rob no! Leave Roy out of this!"

_The nerve. _

"Step away Wally. I don't want to see you right now."

"Rob you are my best friend…"

Robin snorts.

Wally frowns.

"… What?"

"I am your best friend? Are you sure? So what's Roy?" There is something really changeling in Robin's voice.

Red locks covered part of the freckled face cause of the teen that titled his head.

Robin is…

"… Are you… are you jealous?" Is just a whisper… asked so timidly.

Behind the mask, the brunette rolled his eyes.

"I'm not jealous! Of what on earth I'll be jealous?"

Wally nods blushed.

He is right, Dick has everything.

He is perfect.

Acting by impulse, he sits behind his friend and hugs him tightly from behind.

He missed him so much.

He is always missing him.

He really was his savior just minutes ago, seeing him, gave him strength to face that… _situation _with his family.

Tiredly he nuzzled with his nose the tensed back creating a pattern in which his nose moves up and down, up and down, until it rest in Dick's nape… he closes his tired eyes while he smells Dick super expensive perfume.

He didn't notice the switch in Dick's eyebrow.

Dick is _sick _of Wally. He is sick of Wally's ability to disappear all his tensions with one of his stupid hugs.

He sighs defeated.

_Stupid _Robin.

"Wally?" _Silly _Wally. With that thought a smile appears in the brunette's face.

"Mmm?"

"I'm serious about going to Star City."

"… I know… and I already told you that is not Roy's fault!"

He can _hear _the pout.

"All I know is that Roy lied to me about you, and that you were on a mysterious mission… am I right?"

He feels the nose up and down, up and down.

"So I'm going to ask him _nicely _of what the heck was that mission about."

Now the nose moves from left to right.

"I'm going with you."

"Whatever."

Dick hears the weak intent to control a laugh.

"What?!"

"You just sounded like Roy."

"…"

"If you think about it, you should be the ones that became best friends, both of you were taken by billionaires, both of you love technology, both of you have a fixation with gel, both of you are mysterious, both of you are grumpy, both are workaholic, hehe your costumes have the same colors…"

"Wally?"

"Yeah?"

"_Shut. up._"

"Eap!"

"…"

"…"

"… Dick?"

"…"

"You really yelled at Batman for me?"

"Sure."

"…"

"…"

"… I'm sorry."

"I know."

"But…"

"What?"

"How you knew when I arrived?"

"I have a camera in the post outside your house."

"Oh."

"…"

"…"

"KF?…"

"Yeah?"

"… Promise me that you won't disappear like that again."

"... Ok."

PART VI.

_4 years ago._

"Roy wake up… Roy?… WAKE UP! Please wake up pleasepleasepleasewakeupwake upwakeup… WAKE UP DAMN IT!"

"Mmmm… Wally?… What are you?… Something happened to you?!"

The green-eyed boy felt how the older teen took his arm, and with much more strength than necessary the blue-eyed pulled him against his chest.

Ouch.

"What happened? _He_ was there wasn't it?" The older teen took the younger by the shoulders and examined him.

His nose was red, his eyes had some petite tears and radiant locks were extremely messy.

"Shit Wally! You are crying… I told you to stay here with me… What that bastard did this time?"

The younger cringed his nose.

"NOTHING!… And I'm not crying… is just… your chest is… hard." The boy covered his sore nose.

Electric blue eyes blinked in realization, while the owner relaxed a little bit.

"… Let me see." Carefully the blue-eyed took smaller hands that were covering a freckled nose.

The green-eyed brush them off.

"RoylistentomethereisnotimeDi ckisonhiswayhereandheisgoing toKILLYOU!"

"Ouch Wally! You are ultrasonic again!" The older teen covered his ears.

"Arg! LISTEN TO ME!"

"I CAN'T! YOU LEFT ME DEAF!"

"He was saying that I was on my way."

Both redheads turned their eyes to the door.

One of them vibrated involuntarily.

By the way that the domino mask moved, Dick wasn't happy at the scene.

They were in Roy's bed, with the owner lying carelessly and the younger redhead on top of him.

Roy's grin has never been brighter.

"Hi Grayson!"

A batarang landed at microns of Roy's face.

"Dick!"

"What?… that's my way to say hi."

PART VII.

_4 years ago._

"Meow."

"I know… they haven't stopped since we arrived."

"Meow?"

"I'm not sure anymore, I got lost when Dick blamed Roy from when we were turned into animals by Circe."

"Meow?"

"I was a fox, Roy a tiger and Dick a spider monkey."

"Meow."

"Yeahh… Roy tried to eat Dick."

"Meow."

"But don't worry he spited him."

"Rrrrrrr."

"You like it?"

Wally smiled at the sight of the neighbor's cat completely pleased by his strokes behind the pointed ears.

At least someone is happy.

He snorted, this is ridiculous.

Why they keep fighting?

"Guys." He gets up of the couch and goes to the bedroom were the other two heroes are fighting.

"YOU LIED TO ME ABOUT WALLY!"

"GUYS!"

"What he does with his life is not your fucking problem."

"Guys."

"He disappeared you moron, the right thing was to communicate with me."

"Gu.."

"Why? You aren't his boss."

"…ys."

"Actually I'm his leader so if he goes to a mission about the Shadows I'm the first person that should know about it."

"Guys!"

"I knew about it."

"Listen, guys."

"You? So what? You are not part of my team or any team."

"I was in the Justice League."

"FOR LIKE A DAY!"

"That's more that you would ever accomplish… _sidekick_ or you forgot about it? The green shorts?"

Oh…

"You _lied_ and kept information not just to my team but also to the Justice League."

"Guys."

"So? You asked me if Wally was in Star City, he wasn't, he was helping me to gain some information."

"Guys."

"About what?"

"The real Roy Harper."

"You put Wally in danger for that!? You can't be more stupid! You send _WALLY _to an _undercover_ mission… on his _own_… to steal information… from the _Shadows_?"

"…" Roy shifts uncomfortably and takes his time to think of an answer.

"Hey!" The green-eyed replies indignantly.

"You have any idea of what the shadows would have done if they find no other than Kid Flash at their base?"

"It wasn't that dangerous… and he didn't go as Kid Flash, that's why he didn't contact any of you."

"He went as what? Kid Arrow?"

Roy grins amused. "You have a problem with that?"

"No, I didn't go as KF because I'm not longer Fla… I'm not a hero anymore."

"WHAT!?"

"WHAT!?"

Oh! That they hear!?

PART VIII.

_4 years ago._

The good news is that they are no longer fighting against each other. The bad one is that they have all their attention on him.

"You can't be serious."

"KF?"

Why? Why lately everybody is judging him?

His aunt, Roy, Dick, his mother… why?

Why they just don't let him _alone_?

He needs _peace_.

Peace to _forget_.

He is so _tired_.

Tired of running.

Is it a custom? To suffocate and judge a person that his world is falling apart?

He made a decision and they would have to respect it.

They like it or not.

"I'm very serious about it; I'm no longer Kid… Kid Flash, and no, I'm not going rebel or something like that… is just… I need some time."

"… Time?"

"TIME FOR WHAT?! That's why you are going to Stanford?"

Wally can't look at any of them… they are disappointed of him.

Yes shocking news! … Sign on the fucking list of people disappointed of Wally West.

"You are going to… you are moving?" Roy's voice sounds hoarser than normal.

"… My mother…she… I…" At the end, Wally surrenders and seeks for his friend eyes.

And Roy connected the dots.

Wally's mother _knows_.

And kicked him out.

Roy ran a nervous hand through his hair.

Wally bites his lips and sits on the bed, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"Is going to be temporal… just until I adapt to the new place."

"You are lying."

Dude come on… don't make this harder.

"Dick, I'm… I… just… I'm sorry."

He hears Roy's snort.

"Wally… _why_? Did I ever do something as a leader or…?" God Dick is taking it personal.

"NO! Of course not! Dude you are awesome!" Wally faces up his friends and both of them notice that this isn't easy for Wally.

Roy more than Dick.

"Then _why_?"

"I already told you... Because of…"

"I WANT THE TRUTH!"

Wally immediately tenses and closes his eyes.

It would be so easy.

To say the truth.

To say that he can't be a hero because he isn't one.

He made a true hero to commit a crime.

He can't be a hypocrite, he is a jailbait, he can't be a hero.

Heroes are role models.

He is just a mess.

"That's enough Dick." Roy puts a hand on Dick's shoulder. The smaller brushes it off.

"I'm sorry, but you have to respect my decision as a leader… and as my best friend."

Wally sees his friend's eyes burn with anger… he sees them… in his mind… behind those mysterious lenses.

"Whatever." Dick leaves the room.

Roy sees how Wally slides to the floor and brings his knees to his chest.

The older frowns and leaves too.

PART IX.

_4 years ago._

"Hey monkey!"

Roy follows the brunette and catches up with him at the stairs.

"Drop it Roy."

"No, you drop it Grayson." Roy turns the smaller hero so that way they can face each other.

"…"

"What's wrong with you? Don't you see that Wally needs you?"

"… Why would he need me if he has you?"

Roy is taken aback, Richard Grayson is showing insecurity?

"Look, you are his best friend it's obvious that he needs you."

"…You know." The brunette whispers.

"… What?" Roy is a good liar but… Dick is a great detective.

"You know the reason of why Wally is dropping his life!"

"I don't know what happened I just know that he needs his friends."

"…Why Wally is…"

"CUT IT OUT! Don't you get it!? It doesn't matter if Wally killed somebody or robbed a bank or whatever comes to your mind… he .needs .you."

"…"

"He admires you, you know? He thinks you are perfect, _I really don't know why_but you are one of his heroes… so _be _one."

"…"

"Arg! Come!" Roy grabs him by the arm and takes him back to the crappy apartment.

"…"

"…"

But it was too late.

Wally was gone.

_"… Promise me that you won't disappear like that again." _

_"... Ok." _

A/N: Hi, like always, I really appreciate all the people that reads and is interested with this, thank you all, I hope that I fulfilled your expectations or at least I hope that I made an improvement, because that's the reason of why we are doing this… to entertain n-n.

Thank you.

The reason behind this chapter that occurred four years ago, is because I think that it was necessary, the reader needs to know how hard has been the situation for Wally. So that way the people can understand Wally's reaction in the present. He needed to create a state of mind in which his denial can make his life not better but at least livable; so when he sees any sign of crumble in his new life… his mind starts to freak out.

Also I want you to understand that love for speedsters are different, love is related with time, people tends to ponder love with time… so months for speedsters means years.

To not make this longer, I want to finish by explaining the sequence of events four years ago:

Iris finds out; and decides to talk with Wally weeks later (she was waiting for Barry to be away).

Wally declines Roy's invitation to a concert, because he has to patrol Central, also his aunt invited him to dinner.

Iris confronts Wally.

Wally rushes to his house, reads the email and hides of the world at Roy's apartment. (Roy takes care of Wally, even if he has limited resources.)

After 72 hours with no news of Wally, Iris calls Mary. (She was scared, and thought that her confrontation was highly connected to Wally's disappearance.)

Mary decides to take control of the situation for when Barry returns.

Wayne's foundation sends the scholarship paper work.

Mary hides Wally's stuffs and works in all she can with Wally's inscription in Standford.

Weeks after Iris's confrontation, Barry returns to earth and finds Wally's room empty. (He assumed that Wally leaved him because of the age difference, and lack of attention.)

After three weeks Wally returns "home".

*All this time Dick has been searching his friend.

n-n Thank you for taking your time, hopefully will be in touch soon.


	5. Chapter 4

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER IV

_Part I_

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Slow breaths, a chest moving rhythmically at the compass of the breaths, long eyelashes touching freckled cheeks, reassuring warmness irradiating from the sleeping body.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Katniss was trying to focus on how comforting her _pup_ was and not on the annoying sound of the water falling.

Earlier she saw with pity how her pup tried to fix the annoying _waterfall's artifact_ but the stupid water just kept falling, she tried to help by drinking it all, but her pup wasn't pleased with the idea, and honestly, it was too much.

So she just saw with worry how her pup took the _small cookies_ that makes him go to sleep but, she doesn't like them, her pup doesn't pay her attention when he takes them, and also… makes his breath go… heavy and his funny heartbeat, the one that she likes to fall asleep with, it turns… slow, even slower than her golden pup heartbeat.

So she tries to sleep next to him when he takes them, so that way she can check his heartbeat.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

"Grrr"

At her minimum growl, her _pup_ moved his long legs and unconsciously rolled in a way that she cannot longer rest on his chest, now she is facing the wide back.

She is not happy.

With her dangerous teeth she took one of the sleeves of the sleeping boy and rolled him back.

Yes, she damaged the shirt a little… but she wants to sleep on her pup's chest!

"Ba…barry." A soft whisper.

Katniss tilts her head confused, normally her pup doesn't speak when he takes those _cookies_… the name isn't weird though, she hears it all the time from him.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

"A."

She moves her ears instantly.

It can't be…

"A."

That voice…

She goes obediently to the living room to meet her _master. _

She sees him clearly and just like he taught her, she sits in front of him.

"Good girl."

She receives the unusual pat on her snout, she stays strictly quiet, she doesn't like the cold fabric against her skin, but she knows better than to challenge her master, his terrific aura hasn't changed.

Although, her ears get down cautiously, he brought another person.

She is confused she saw him before, but his smell, aura and behavior are totally different.

Is another person but… it looks exactly like the one she met years ago.

Actually it doesn't have the aura of a person… is like an animal.

"I don't like monkeys."

"It's not a monkey, it's a dog, now I don't recall telling you to leave your spot didn't I? Now _return to your position_. Or you'll be back at your tube by the end of the night."

"_Don't. give. me. orders." _The floor _moved_ when the boy disappeared.

Katniss trembles a little, she doesn't like him, doesn't like him at all.

"Next time I'll bring the other."

She tries to focus on her master.

His tall silhouette moves around the place, he takes some _things_ from high places, checks them, connects them with another _things_ and then puts them back.

"… Interesting." Katniss tenses when she sees the dark look in the direction of her pup's bedroom.

"You are giving the bat and his bird a false signal? How unlike you. I wonder if they put cameras in your room, I bet the bird did."

She _feels_ the smile.

Then, she sees how her master takes from the table that silver artifact, the one that her pup passes hours with and forbidden her to touch.

She wants to stop him, she really wants… but the pain.

The pain that will come after.

It's unbearable.

So she just stays put.

Her master touches the small squares inside the forbidden silver Frisbee and…

Click.

… Hears the characteristic sound.

Several times, and fast.

Pum.

"Grrr."

She cannot longer stay still.

Not when that boy…that _animal_ entered the room of her pup by the window.

She ran to her pup's room and found the dangerous boy watching closely her pup's face.

"Grrr."

"Ssss." The boy hissed.

And a single tray of blood started to run from the boy's head.

From behind, her master shot a bullet to the boy's face.

How is that even possible?

She didn't hear anything?!

"Next time the bullet will have more than a 0.05% of Kryptonite, and that will cause much more than a scratch."

"… You… you can't…"

"Say again?"

"… I just wanted to… I thought that I heard him calling someone." The dark haired boy frowns and removes absently the blood from his front.

"Ba…barry."

"…Who is Barry?"

"Not your problem."

Click.

Katniss tenses, her master is pointing that same object again.

" _Leave."_

"Fine."

The floor _moves_ again.

This time Katniss sits next to her pup's bed and watches curiously how her master puts another _thing_ in a corner and with just a button it _disappears_.

Then he touches his left wrist and out of nowhere lights appears, they are something very similar to the lights in the forbidden silver Frisbee, but, without the silver.

"That would be all… A."

She recognizes her name and comes close to her master.

She shivers at the cold tact of those hands around her necklace; they replace something and finally let her free.

When she breathes again she repressed a jump.

That _look_ .

"It's ironic… so much power, restricted in such a fragile container."

She trembles.

That hand was… on her pup's neck.

It moves slowly, savoring the power, the damage that can cause, and finally it surrounds the fragile neck completely.

And just when it was about to cause any force… it lets go, preferring to caress the clavicle, jaw, cheekbones, nose, and just removes messy red strands from the boyish face.

Parsimoniously slow the hand traces a path in the redhead's long legs, taking all the time of the world caressing the inner thighs.

"Ba…barry."

That _smile_.

"Toys like you make my job the best one in the world… till our next date runner… bye A."

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

The water keeps falling.

_Part II _

_Looking back at the beginning of this. _

_And how life was._

_Just you and me._

_And love and all of our friends. _

_Living life like an ocean._

But now the current's only pulling me down.

_It's getting harder to breathe._

_It won't be too long and I'll be going under. _

_Can you save me from this? (1)_

It's a nice neighborhood.

Quiet, peaceful, with green grass, trees with the traditional swing that consisted in a wheel, family cars; those oddly just were silver, black or white.

It's… nice.

But he doesn't like the place because of the houses; he likes them because of the trees.

Immensely tall, all of them located in a row, with their crossed branches, and thousands of leaves, leaves that with the wind make raindrops fall in a reassuring way.

He is running with the wind, it's not at the speed that his legs are begging for, his adrenaline is screaming at him to speed up, but he won't. Weeks ago it took him hours to regenerate torn muscles, he asked to much, his body wasn't prepared, he forced himself to… obviously it wasn't enough… but that's in the past. He won't run like that again.

_Who do you think that you are fooling Wally?_

He knows Dick, he knows what is coming.

He moves his head.

He doesn't want to think about that now.

He doesn't want to think.

Buuzzz.

He feels his cell phone vibrate in his pocket.

Buuzzz.

It has been vibrating for a while. But he doesn't answer.

He knows who is.

Buuzzz.

He turns up the volume of his ipod, until he cannot longer hear the rain or his steps… nothing.

_'Cause it's not my time, I'm not going. _

_There's a fear in me and it's not showing. _

_This could be the end of me. _

_And everything I know, ooh, but I won't go. (1)_

A desperate kiss.

A hold without escape.

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

He starts to *run* without really _running._

His body is aching for action.

He is punishing himself.

Warm arms around him.

Demanding lips.

God, how is he going to ever kiss another person after _that kiss._

Stop thinking Wally.

Stop it!

But… why?

Why now?

After all this years… why Barry went to his dorm and…

… Why?

He is oblivious that he stopped running in the middle of the street and that the tips of his fingers were on his lips.

_Because he thinks that your girlfriend is dead. _

Jades lose their alluring sparkle.

Could that be the reason?

_Is there another? _

Completely lost in his thoughts, Wally being _Wally_ stepped on a forgotten branch and fell hard on the asphalt.

"… ah."

And of course a car passed and splashed him dirty water.

His nose cringed and his cheeks went red.

Brusquely he took off his headphones and stared with all his anger at the owner of the stupid car.

A Black Auidi R8 GT.

Limited Edition.

Ok, lucky bastard owner of a not so stupid car.

He decided to ignore the car and avoid an awkward situation; he can already imagine the type of guy who drives it.

So carefully he stands up, avoiding causing any more damage to his knees, elbows and palms… they are all red, luckily the rain is taking care of the blood.

He hears the door open and the splash of water caused by steps approaching him.

"WALLY!"

Huh?

Jades blink several times.

"… Dick?"

Most of the time he forgets that Dick is also Richard Grayson, Bruce Wayne's legal ward.

He feels guilty, those clothes look really expensive, and now they are completely soaked.

He is disturbed of his thoughts by the grip of his friend.

"Get inside the car!"

He is kidding right?

"N-no I can't, let's meet at my dorm."

He is covered in water, blood, mud and… leaves.

He is not going to ruin those seats.

"_ ." _If the grip on his wrist wasn't enough to make his point… the _Batglare_ certainly did.

"…"

The cold rain didn't help him to prevent his blush when Dick opened the door for him, and waited for him to get in to close it.

He sat in a corner of the seat… everything looks _really_ expensive and he doesn't want to ruin or touch anything.

Pum.

But of course, Dick being a _Dick_ pushed him and putted him the seat belt.

3…2…1

"What on earth you were doing at five in the morning in the middle of the street?! Jeezz Wally you have to be more cautious! Some random driver could have run over you! If you haven't noticed its pouring!"

Usually people have problems trying to believe that Dick is younger than him.

Moments like this, he understands them.

From the corner of his eye Dick sees Wally's sad eyes and sighs.

"…You came from running?"

Wally understands the true question.

Years ago, Wally usually left the mountain at five in the morning to run around the world… If Dinah was there, she usually gave him money to bring breakfast, she loves French cuisine.

Dick truly believes that he is returning.

"… Yeah."

He wasn't lying; he was running, for most of the civilians.

"You haven't changed one bit Wally."

"I think that's for Superboy."

"You know what I mean."

"…"

_If you only knew. _

Thinks the redhead while watching the profile of his friend.

Buuzzz.

He keeps ignoring the calls.

Buuzzz.

Wally let the heating feature calm his muscles.

_'Cause it's not my time, I'm not going. _

_There's a fear in me and it's not showing._

_This could be the end of me._

_And everything I know, ooh, but I won't go. (1)_

The redhead smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing is just… I was listening the same song moments ago."

_Part III _

Is not like they don't have any topic to talk about… because of those are _plenty_, is just… that they don't want to talk about them.

So they don't.

Talk.

Like… at all.

They are trying pretty hard to keep pretending that they still are brothers… friends? Sure… brothers?… not like they used to.

Too many lies and secrets for that.

They still know that they can count with each other for _anything _ but… what happened four years ago… changed their connection, also one of them is too proud to admit that he needs help, and the other doesn't want to be a burden.

Wally loves Dick, as much as Dick loves Wally, but… Wally hurt Dick by not telling him his reasons to leave, and Dick hurt Wally by not respecting his decision.

But the love is _there._ Maybe not as red as before, but is there.

"You want something to eat? I can make some sandwiches."

The ride was short, and they arrived quickly at the pleasant dorm.

Curious impossible blue eyes examined the place.

He can feel the presence of the archer.

The black haired looked down… he does feels guilty.

No matter the training, no matter the meditation, he still _feels_ , but above all he still ponders about the sacrifice of his friends.

When people see him, they see the next Batman, no matter the times he changes his name… Zatanna, Barbara, the Team, Tim… hell even Bruce!

He just needs one person… _one_ that doesn't.

That's why he needs to keep Wally close to him.

"_You are not Batman." _

That's what he told him in Santa Prisca years ago.

A nonchalant smile appeared in the handsome face.

"The rain is calming… I was thinking in eating breakfast outside."

The youngest walks across the living room, pats on the snout the pit bull and goes to Wally's bedroom.

"You want to feed me?"

Dick looks at the ceiling while he lays on the comfy bed.

There is something about Wally…

He lays carelessly, with his arms flexed and hands crossed under his head.

"I have Bruce's Platinum."

He answers loud enough to be heard in the bathroom.

"… You just bought that car didn't you?"

Dick's smile is faultlessly amused.

There is something about Wally… that relaxes him.

The silly is so good to him, so _right_.

"Fine, but… can we eat at the university?… They called me for something."

Blue eyes watch the slim body coming from the bathroom, they are at months of the summer but Wally's skin normally has a light touch of golden that just combine perfectly with the petite freckles, the redhead is just wearing some gray jeans so he can see reddish shoulders, Wally is big fan of _boiling_ water.

And how on earth he keeps those lean muscles if Kid Mouth hasn't trained in years?!

… So unfair.

"Sure, for what they called you?"

When the green-eyed finished putting on the shirt, his hair looked soft and… puffy.

"Dude! You are wet, get off my bed!"

"Wally… for what they called you?"

Dick sits next to Wally; the redhead was putting on some converse.

"Huh? They called me to pick up some stuff that I forgot."

"…"

"…"

"They want me to pick up Artemis's things."

That _feeling._

That doubt.

They are risking too much.

Dick puts a hand in Wally's shoulder.

And says the words that he has been dying to say since he went to Paula's Crock apartment.

"I'm sorry Wally; I shouldn't have let you to take all the blame in front of Paula I… Roy was right… I act cowardly and…"

"It's ok."

"No! Is not! Is just that for you is impossible to resent but…"

Ring.

A sigh.

Ring.

Ring.

"… Give me a sec… Grayson… hi Tim… at Wally's why?… yes he is awake… I'm not a creeper… that's completely different… how I was supposed to know that you wanted to come?… for what you called Tim?… Yes if Conner says that Bart is your partner he is your partner… No I won't interfere… Barbara either… he is not that bad… Well… "

Dick sees from the corner of his eye how Wally was failing at keeping his laugh quiet.

"Can I talk to him?"

"You want to talk… to…Tim?"

"Yeap."

With an eyebrow raised Dick gives Wally his smartphone.

"Hi Tim! Hehe the one and only, how are you?… Me? I'm good… Listen, don't try to keep up with him or you'll end mad, just give him food or why don't you play videogames? He likes Arkham City… If he gives you troubles just bring him here, yes at my dorm… It doesn't matter if I'm not here you guys are welcome… I'll tell Dick to send you my number… Hahaha it's ok Tim don't be timid… hahaha you are cute… hello?… hello?… Tim?… I think that the signal is dead."

"…"

"… What?"

"Nothing… just… nothing."

Buuzzz.

"Who is calling you that much?"

"Huh? Nobody."

_Part IV _

"I think that this university is bigger than Gotham's."

"It is."

"It has so many… colors."

"Hahaha… even if you are wearing sunglasses… at six in the morning?"

"Shut up."

They are eating breakfast in a homely coffee shop outdoors.

Dick noticed that Wally just ate two bagels, actually one and a half.

Maybe he is just trying to keep appearances… but there is nobody outside the dorms yet.

At least he still needs twenty seven spoons of sugar to drink his latte.

"…"

"…"

The air turns tense, both men know that they can't postpone _that_ conversation. No matter how much they want to keep pretending that their friendship hasn't changed.

Dick needs to go back to his city and attend Bruce's business while he is in… wherever he is.

"How is their trial?"

"Still don't know, every time I speak with Bruce he… he keeps giving me orders… he doesn't tell me anything else."

Jades look how his friend passes a hand trough his hair.

Dick is so tired.

He wants to help him, he really wants; it was just for him that he went to Central to look after Impulse…

_Repeat it to yourself until you believe it._

… But he can't.

… Maybe if Flash was one of the heroes that went to space.

"And what about the others?… J'onn hasn't said anything to Megan?… Does… does Artemis… you know… something about her?"

Dick just denies with his head.

"And what about the other Martian?"

"What other Martian?"

"Megan's new boyfriend, the green dude, how is he going to be rescued?"

"He is not a Martian, he is an atlantean… don't worry about him, thankfully the rest will be focussing on him while we work."

"But… he is _green. _ "

Dick shrugs.

"Wally… I…"

"…"

"I came to tell you that whenever you are ready … you…"

"I'm not returning to the team Dick."

Wally bites his lip.

And Dick removes his sunglasses so that way he can massage the bridge of his nose.

"Wally…"

"Dick listen, I'm not quitting the mission I never did, if you need my help fine, but in the shadows, undercover… I'm not going to leave at the cave."

"I don't want you at the cave! I don't need you there!"

"And where do you need me?"

"… With me… Move in with me."

"…"

Wally rolled his eyes. Dick sees him as one of the little bats that he thinks that can control.

"What?"

"I have a life Dick… Not a cover, a _real life_… I have to take care of Artemis's documents and… "

"Let somebody else do that."

"Who is going to do it Dick? Paula?… Oh I know who! Sportmaster!… I'm not one of those girls that you control Dick."

Buuzzz.

Annoyed the redhead turns off his cell phone.

One stubborn bastard at a time.

"Of what are you talking about?"

"Seriously Dick? Girls _talk_… Zatanna is Artemi's best friend, and she knows Barbara from high school... I'm not going to leave with you and be in the middle of World War III."

"…"

Wow Wally West just made Dick Grayson blush.

With some satisfaction, the redhead is planing to leave.

"_Where are you going?" _

Wally hates when Dick uses Batman's tone with him.

He wants to answer him as he deserves, but he can't.

Not when he sees fear in those blue eyes.

"I'm going to pick Artemi's stuffs and later to work."

"… Fine! Here, this contains Krolotean information, it's full with biological vocabulary something about… a _metagene_ I don't… I'm not familiar with it, _your mission_ is to study and internalize this and find out what they want, later will be following the clues that you'll be finding."

"And will try to make contact with Artemis and Kaldur, right?"

"…Yes, will try, but I don't want you to create an illusion, like in that exercise years ago."

"…"

He is not going to answer that. So he just uses extra strength to break the grip in his wrist, takes the usb driver and leaves.

"… Wally?"

"…"

_What now master Dick? _ He bites his tongue.

"Please think about what I proposed you."

Yes, you want me to quit college.

To move to the other side of the country… _again._

Work in your missions.

Live like a bat.

Ignore that Artemis's life is here too.

_There is nothing to think about._

"Ok."

No.

They are not like they used to be.

Their love turned blue.

Blue eyes watched the lean silhouette of his friend in the distance; when he heard a common noise in his ear.

"Nightwing."

"… She wants to talk to him."

"Sorry Kaldur, something came up and I couldn't go to Palo Alto."

"Understood, we'll make contact when will return to the surface again."

"And that will be…?"

"We are not sure."

_Guilt_.

"Tell her that Wally is in."

_Part V _

"Our sincere condolences Wally."

"Her funeral was in Gotham?… or Vietnam?"

"The newspaper said that she died in a car accident… but you don't own a car."

"Is true that Dick Grayson went?… You saw him with the commissary's daughter?"

"Oh my God! I saw you eating breakfast with the hottest guy! Is he single?… BTW I'm so sorry for your lost."

"I'm sorry for your lost… if you want to _talk_, or need a shoulder to cry, or a _hug, _or _a. n. y. t. h. i. n. g. y. o. u. w. a. n. t_… my room is the 3-B… with a face like yours… you don't need to knock."

"You are the guy that killed her girlfriend?… What's your name?"

If those are the things said in his face, he doesn't want to imagine what they are saying in his back.

PUM.

When he locks the door of the Department of Energy he supports his back against the cold metal of the door and holding a box he slides to the floor.

He is living a nightmare.

Somebody please, let him get out of here.

"Ooohh kid, what's wrong?"

The redhead hiccuped and looked up to see the director of the department.

"Nothing Mr. Koffman."

Completely embarrassed with himself the redhead tries to stand up but the box wasn't helping.

"Let me help you kid."

The professor grabs the box and places it in one of the laboratory's tables.

"What do you have in here?"

"… Books and… stuffs."

The man sees inside the box multiple books of different languages.

"… I see… Artemis's?… Take a seat please."

With slow movements the younger sits in a stool.

Warm brown eyes watch with concern how normally radiant eyes were… empty and never met his eyes, the kid was avoiding him.

Soon the kid will lock in himself.

"Listen kid, I'm so…"

"I know."

"Pardon?"

"I know, I know that you and everyone are sorry for my lost, it's fine, I get it… is ok."

"…"

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have come is just… I knew that anybody uses the lab at this hour and I-I-I thought… I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm…"

The kid stops mumbling and rests his arms on the table and hides his face between them.

The man sighs and rests his hand in the kid's shoulder.

"Stop apologizing Wally, you have been one of my best students and since you started your internships you've been like a son to me, everyone in this lab loves you, if you need to come here and hide from the world, you are more than welcome, if you need to talk with someone… I'm here kid, I might not know about facenotes or messages with birds but… I have lived long enough to know the meaning of a lost… It's sad that you have to confront this at such a young age but… Live goes on kid."

"…Thank you ." The words are bearably audible.

The adult smiles, and affectionately brushes the messy red strands.

"Also, Wally I'm talking with Elimenez McKenzie about your thesis timeframe."

"… Who is McKenzie?"

"The director of mechanical engineering."

_Eliminator?_

The redhead almost falls on the floor.

"WHAT!?…Nonononono, I'm fine! Really… is ok."

"Wally West you say the words _ok_ or _fine_ one more time and I will lock you here until you _starve._ "

"…"

"Correct me if I'm wrong but in the mornings you work in your forensics internships, in the afternoons you work as a waiter, and at night you go to your classes… Am I right?"

"… Yes sir."

Note to himself: Don't tell about your new job as mechanic in the police department.

"So when you are going to work on your thesis?"

"…"

Good question.

"I'm just seeing two subjects and then…"

"I'm talking with Elimenez and when you end your internships will talk."

"But…"

"It wasn't a question Wally."

"…"

"You should go out with your friends I'm not talking about parties but… go to the movies or to a coffee shop… in moments like this is when you realize who your real friends are."

Yeah well, one is a control maniac.

One is unavailable because… is under the sea.

It has been like two years since he saw the other.

And there is one that hates him so much that sent an email to his… whatever.

He is alone.

"… Thank you. I'm going to leave this at home and later… I have to work… bye!"

The young redhead grabs the box and smiles.

Is not as radiant as it used to be but… still is breathtakingly sweet.

And breathtakingly _fake_.

_Part VI _

_Red Devils_ is a coffee shop situated at an avenue in historic downtown Palo Alto, the owner is big fan of soccer, specifically the guy is obsessed with the Manchester United team, so the decoration has interesting thematic. Is very popular, most of the clients come in big groups, to sit in puffs situated in front of huge LCDS, drink a beverage and enjoy the Barclays Premier League.

_Coug._ _Coug._ _Coug._

"Cameron unless you want to lose your job, please wear a mask."

"But, boss… where I'm going to find one?"

"In a pharmacy Cameron, in a pharmacy."

"Jeeez what an attitude."

A pretty blond walks behind the bar counter and throws annoyed her apron.

_Coug._ _Coug._ _Coug._

"That doesn't sound good Cam."

The blond smiles at feeling a light kiss on her hair and at the sight of lovely windblown hair.

"Imagine how it feels… Hi hot stuff _coug_… I covered you with the boss… _coug_ I texted you earlier, I told you that you didn't have to come. _coug_, _coug_."

Her baby blue eyes watch how green ones blinked several times.

"You are kidding right? Cam if we turn off the lights your nose will illuminate the entire block."

_Coug._ _Coug._ _Coug._

"Honestly? I feel like I'm gonna die."

The beautiful girl immediately tenses and covers her mouth.

"I'm sorry Wally, I really am, please forgive me... I'm such an idiot."

"… Is ok… I…I'm sorry that I couldn't answer you… I… I turned off my phone." To hide his expression from the sweet girl the redhead grabs from his pocket his smartphone and turns him on.

The girl whistles. "… 45 missed calls?… To which poor soul you broke her heart?"

"I'm the poor soul."

Wally hears the hoarse voice and an electric current travels through his spine.

_Part VII _

Cameron was cleaning for the twenty seventh time the same cup, but she didn't care, she was to busy trying to hear from the counter the conversation in the farthest table.

Who was that guy anyway?

Her baby blue eyes examined him from afar. Even wearing winter clothes you can distinguish his well-built musculature, he was taller than Wally, she just could watch them for less than a minute, but she saw his electric blue eyes, they were… powerful, what worried her were the _bruises_, one was on the right cheekbone, the other one in the chin.

Seeing the vibrant orange hair from afar she wondered if maybe they were related. Both are handsome…that counts as a kinship?

"Cameron for the love of God WORK!"

"Who understands you boss? First you tell me to go to a pharmacy then…"

The annoyed girl forgets her interest in the redheads and goes to the other tables.

Electric blue eyes watched, _studied,_ the younger redhead in front of him. Those green eyes haven't met his, they are staring at the table stubbornly, he knows that when the sugar trembled a little it was caused by a vibration that the younger couldn't control.

He was expecting to see him yesterday.

At the funeral.

He knew that Paula was angry but… he never expected the amounts of hate towards the speedster.

If he still was the ignorant Roy, the one that didn't know that he was a clone… he would have gone to Palo Alto immediately, but he has a daughter now, he can't leave whenever he wants.

They are not like they used to be.

The three of them.

When Wally left, Dick changed, he became more paranoid, he blamed himself, blamed his leadership, and locked himself, he trained until he reached perfection, he spent more time in Gotham, and less with the team, without Wally, nobody else was there to bring the mischievous teen that the acrobat has inside. And with what the acrobat and the bat-clan have been through these years… there are little remnants to rescue. So Dick is, measuring his friendship with the amounts of control that he has over the people.

That's what Dinah told him.

And when he saw Dick yesterday at the funeral…

He confirmed it.

Dick changed; the old Dick wouldn't have let Wally take all the blame.

And he? He became obsessed in finding the real Roy Harper, without an annoying speedster begging him to return home… why would he do it?

At least he was not, _happy_, but… relieved to hear that Wally was busy living a normal life. Well, not normal, because Wally needs to _be Wally,_ he needs to _run_ to be normal but… At least he is trying to live a decent life.

That's more that he can say about himself.

But there is something different in Wally.

With his eyes…

When he smiled in a reassuring way to the blond waitress… that smile…

… it wasn't the one that make him want to lock in a container so the world wouldn't damage it… it wasn't _real. _

And the behavior that he is showing now…

Is not the usual nervousness that he feels from the speedster every time that they are close.

Actually it looks that the speedster isn't happy at seeing him.

He knows that is his fault, he treated bad Wally the last time that they have seen each other, but at that time he was so _angry._ With Dinah, Oliver, Dick and… yes… with Wally.

He was angry with himself, he didn't want for Wally to see him that way.

But that doesn't mean that he doesn't care about him.

God knows that he cares about Wally with his life.

And what happened hours ago with that… asshole…

He left Lian with Dinah and took the zeta-tube.

He came for answers.

He needs to know that Wally isn't seeing that man.

He needs to look at those eyes and see the truth.

"I'm working Roy I'll tell you to wait but later I'm going to my other job and then to my classes so… I recommend you to take your next zeta-flight before you lose it; see you in the next four years."

The unpredictable comebacks haven't changed though.

"I heard that bimbo telling you that you don't have to work today."

The younger shifts uncomfortable.

But still. Those eyes don't look at him.

"How long have you've been here?"

"Enough to know that if I accept a coffee from the blond I'll end with pneumonia... _Hot stuff_. "

Was that a blush?

He can't help but smile because he knows that the younger is thinking about him.

"… Why are you calling me? Why you came here? How do you even know where I work?"

"I went to your college and I heard a guy talking bullshit about you."

"…"

"I punched him by the way."

"…"

"Wally, we need to talk."

"I have nothing to talk with you!"

Finally those eyes… he can see them.

… He missed them.

It's confusing and scaring just _how much._

There are nights that he wonders if the first time he saw them was a memory from the original Roy or if it was his.

He'll never know.

A selfish part of him wishes that it was his. That when an eleven year old Wally, impulsively hugged him after a congratulation from his part, it was because the speedster liked _him._

"R-Ro-Roy what happened to you?!"

This time the sugar _vibrated_.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend?"

"…My…wh-what?"

"Grab your jacket, I'll wait for you outside, the bimbo right there is going to have a panic attack if she hears the whole story."

_Part VIII _

Before Roy walks around the corner someone grabs him by the wrist and in less than a second his back is against the wall that belongs to the backgrounds of the coffee shop. An entrancingly warm body is against his chest and soft hands are caressing with caution the bruises on his face.

It has been so long since someone just cared about him.

He missed his little fox.

He really matters to him.

Shit… When he get this attached?

Gradually slow, like afraid to break the moment, the archer puts a hand on the speedster waist and with his other arm he embraces the back. If what it takes is a few punches to hold the speedster like this, tomorrow he'll be annoying the entire League.

"…Ba-Barry did this to you?"

Please keep caressing me.

_Please._

Those green eyes were staring at him with worry and hints of fear.

The runner is really surprised…he doesn't know his idol at all.

"He went to my apartment to say hi."

The petite nose cringes graciously.

"Don't joke about this."

God he can feel his breath.

Unconsciously the archer pulls closer the speedster.

"I wasn't… he warned me, he didn't like the idea of me being close to you."

"Ba-Barry wouldn't do that."

Please stop biting your lip.

… _Stop._

Pull yourself together Roy.

"Oh really? Ask Luthor about that time that he sent you a missile; I'm pretty sure that not even Lex Luthor's health insurance covered those wounds."

"It was different… Either way you shouldn't have sent that email."

With hints of anger the speedster rested his hands on the strong chest, and involuntarily made space, defiantly the archer closed the distance between them.

Being aware of the proximity a damnably attractive blush appeared in the speedster's cheekbones.

"What email?… Wait, is that why that asshole went to my house?… because of an _email_?"

"It wasn't a regular email Roy and you know it."

"No I don't know!… And-wait-what's…why?"

The speedster's cheeks were actually _burning._ When a strong hand took his face by the chin and made him stay still, at the same time, he felt a callused thumb caress his cheek.

"Why are you hiding your freckles?"

"… To look … nice?"

Green eyes just saw the handsome face frown before...

"Ah!"

He was pushed against the wall.

"Don't lie to me Wally."

Roy _growled. _

"I…I… please don't be mad… ah!"

Roy didn't give him any space to breath… or escape.

"Years ago, when I started working here, at the coffee shop, there was manager that was a very strict man, and well, some day a pair of girls came and they told the manager that they didn't want to be attended by me because I had… freckles, so he made sure that…"

"WHAT?!"

"Funny that's what Cam said, she told the boss what happened but… I don't want to cause any trouble so…"

"…I can't believe it… but because you are _you_ it makes sense."

The speedster closed his eyes and felt how the archer removed the makeup, but slowly opened them when he felt a caress in his lip.

_Insanely cute._

Thought the archer.

"Stop biting your lip, you bruised it… here."

And just like four years ago, Roy kissed him so fast and so lightly that it wasn't really a kiss.

Actually, he is pretty sure that the archer just licked an imperceptible amount of blood in his lip.

"Guide me to your place; I need to see that email."

"What? Not Redmobile?"

"Shut up Kid Arrow."

_Part IX _

For like the fiftieth time Wally saw from the corner of his eye his companion, and just like the first time he feels multiple sensations.

Happiness… _has been so long_ , awkwardness… _he knows that I didn't want to answer him_, joy… _he wants to talk to me_, discomfort… _why we let our friendship die?_, curiosity… _why he came?_, thrill… _he seems recovered_, but mostly… uncertainty.

_He really sent that email?_

Just what the _hell _ is going on?

Four years ago all that he ever cared about, his parents, his aunt, his best friend, his life… _Barry…_ turned their backs on him.

They judged him.

And it hurt so badly that he had to run away.

He had to destroy who he really was to forget the pain and memories.

So far he has been doing _just fine._

He is at less than a year to graduate, he was making an amazing girl happy, he was… he was _healing._

And then Artemis _died_ to the eyes of the world and everything went down from there.

He has to convince Dick that they need help… they can't keep with this.

It's too much.

"You live in a nice neighborhood."

"Uh?… Thanks."

And then this-this… _thing_ with that email.

Four years.

Four fucking years.

Convinced that Barry send it.

That Barry left him in that hurtful way.

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

_Years ago._

Breathing felt heavy, although his heart couldn't stop beating at an abnormal rate.

It happened.

What everybody was expecting to.

What the world and reporters like Gordon Godfrey kept saying over and over.

The proof that they weren't ready.

That they should have stayed like sidekicks.

… The mission went wrong.

And a teenage girl paid the price.

_With her life._

… Tula.

Tula died.

They are all at the cave, some in the living room, others at the kitchen.

Just like when they were dealing with the consequences of that simulation.

Just that this is _real._

No simulation.

No Martian telling them that everything was false.

Artemis's dislocated arms were real.

Miss M burns were real.

Connor screams from the training room were real.

Zatanna's dry blood was real.

… And Kaldur.

… Kaldur's pain was unbearable.

Dick hasn't said anything.

He just keeps typing in that damn computer in his wrist.

He knows him, he knows that he is repeating the scenarios over and over; trying to figure out what went wrong.

He wants to go.

He wants to scream.

He is curled up in one of the sofas, trying to pass unnoticed. His legs are against his chest, he is trying to suffocate the pain of the burns on his thighs, he is trying to ignore the sickness caused by the smell of his own skin burned.

The words said by Garth.

His screams.

His furious eyes staring at him.

"_And you?! What did you do?! You are supposed to be the fastest boy alive! What did you do Huh? TELL ME?!"_

He needs to leave.

But he can't.

Not with Kaldur like that.

All of them are going to face the League.

_Together._

Tornado saw them arriving and sent the message minutes ago.

Involuntarily he closes his eyes at the familiar sound of someone using the zeta-tube.

God they came here fast.

He presses his hands on his ears.

No more screams.

_Please._

No more.

"Fl…"

Someone lifted him up and before he recognized the strong chest, he felt the familiar sensation of being teletransported.

"…ash 04."

Before he could open his eyes he felt how he was being putted down gently on a bed and his mask was being removed.

"Flash online. Code Shutdown Room 04. Imminent alarm at perimeter violation."

His heart stopped for a second… Flash… Barry… He brought him to his room in the watchtower!?

_The watchtower?!_

His line of thoughts was interrupted as a pair of arms wrapped him.

"It wasn't you it wasn't you it wasn't you it wasn't you it wasn't you."

There was so much worry and anxiety in those whispers against his hair.

He let the emotions flow through his system and hugged back his savior.

"She died in front of us she-she was protecting us she… I-I couldn't do anything."

He felt how a hand traveled through his spine and rested in his lower back, it felt reassuring, the warmness that the gesture radiated. He didn't notice that he was crying until he felt how his tears were softly removed.

"Wally listen to me, any of you have to feel any guilt, the only ones to blame are the ones who ambushed you."

His eyes were staring at white lenses, his mind was sending at his heart memories of pale blue eyes, and his heart just melted.

"Wally you understood?… Any of this is your fault… Wally… Wally say it."

"…" He bit his lip. And immediately a gloved hand brushed it gently.

Barry always does that, there are moments… the happiest, that with a kiss he tries to stop his nervousness.

Barry always calms him. He just needs a look, a touch, a hug, a kiss… just _Barry._

"Wally say it, _please."_

He nods and feels warmness in his cheeks at the sensation of contact against his skin and a gloved hand.

Barry found the zipper of his suit and absently gives him carefree touches that send electric currents trough his body.

"_Wally."_

"It-it wasn't our fault but… but… God Barry I feel horrible."

He couldn't take it anymore and lets his body search for the feeling of safety and protection that just the man that carries the lighting can bring him.

He hides his face in the strong neck and hugs the man like no tomorrow.

He misses the gorgeous smile of the man.

"I-I…I…*sigh* Today I felt horrible too."

"Whhhfhjg?" His words weren't heard clearly because he refuses to leave his position.

Wally heard a quite chuckle; Barry is ticklish in his neck.

He can't control himself and gives a fast kiss in the sensitive zone.

The gloved hand caressing his back starts going lower.

Curiously Barry's caress always linger where he has freckles.

"When I heard the voice of Tornado telling us that one of you where dead…"

The hand stops for a whole second before it returns.

"… I felt more than horrible Wally… Wally..."

He couldn't suppress a yawn mixed with a whine when he felt how he was taken by the shoulders and found his face at millimeters of white lenses.

"Wally… I felt that I just _died_ … I had to see you; I had to take you with me, where you are safe… I…. I can't lose you… you…"

Wally's heart couldn't stop _thumping_ like it wanted to pass through his chest.

"… Wally I… I… I can't live without you… I just _can't._ "

"I feel the same." He whispers completely red and totally embarrassed.

Unconsciously bites his lip.

He hears a low groan before his head is against a pillow and demanding lips are begging for an entrance.

He doesn't even think before he lets the warm tongue do whatever he wants with him.

He trusts Barry instinctively.

While the kiss gets deeper, desperate and anxious; the scarlet speedster removes the yellow suit, the upper body part, and Wally sighs in pleasure of the sensation of the cold fabric of the gloves against his back.

One of the strong arms embraces him by the waist pulling his body against the wall that is Flash's body.

Barry is warm so perfectly _warm_.

He is always this defenseless and weak against the burning sensation, weakly he surrounds Barry's neck in search of support.

Is not until he starts to feel dizzy by the lack of oxygen that the kiss ends.

Their respirations are irregular, their exhalations completely in sync, even if his eyes are just staring at white lenses, he knows what they are asking.

Barry always asks.

He will always say yes.

He can't say no to this man.

The scarlet cowl is sticky and covered in sweat.

He can't take it anymore and carefully starts to remove it while he kisses the strong jaw, at some points he licks slightly, it always amuses him the sensation of his tongue against the first signals of beard.

"Wa-Wally."

Also the reactions of Barry are incomparably.

When his fingertips feel the soft hair lightly humid, he gains enough courage to leave the jaw alone and finally stare at pale blue eyes.

They are blurry and just plain irresistible. He also sees fear; Barry really thought that he died tonight.

It's scary but… They all could have died tonight.

Barry needs reassurance; he needs to make sure that he is right here, right now, with him.

"_Barry."_

His kisses are not as breathtakingly as Barry's; his are timid, light and soft. He kisses Barry's lips as if they were strawberries with chocolate, he faintly touches them first, he gains confidence and with the tip of the tongue he starts to taste them, he gives sporadic bites to make Barry lose control. He was so focused in his task that it took him completely by surprise the intrusion of a thumb swiping slowly and firm inside of him.

"Ah." He couldn't stop the gasp.

"Sorry I couldn't help myself."

"You are not." Answers breathless.

An insanely sexy smile is all he sees before the blond man takes control of the kiss.

A moan dies in the kiss when he feels an index bent at the knuckle.

It's not like he is supersensitive or something, _he totally is,_ is just that… thanks to his healing abilities well… every time he-he… his body… biologically speaking… every time is like the… first.

So embarrassing.

"Ssshit!"

He never swears, that's why Barry immediately stopped.

He really didn't mean to but, Barry tried to remove the other part of the suit and well… the burns in his legs they _hurt _so _badly._

"What happ… Wally your legs… WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!"

Way to go Wally, you broke the moment.

He vibrates a little, he can't help it, it's a reflex.

"Black Manta's new whip, he… he increased the volts and… he got me."

"That son of…"

"Barry!" Wally grabbed the man by the wrist; he knows that if the older wanted to, he could have easily avoided him.

"WHAT?"

Shit he is pissed, scratch that he is _furious._

"I'm ok."

_I'm alive_.

Actually he was lucky that Superboy punched Manta at that moment or maybe he wouldn't be saying these words.

"Please don't make a scene at the cave… don't go." Says softly.

_Don't leave me._

He sees the transition of those normally calm eyes. He is still mad; he recognizes the impulsiveness slowly hiding. He won't find peace until he does whatever he proposed to.

He cringed mentally at making an attempt to sit properly.

With one hand firmly in Barry's wrist, he touches the man's face tenderly.

He needs to distract him. _Fast. _

He bit his tongue at sliding his legs in the man's waist.

God that _hurts._

As a reflex to support himself and ease the pain in his legs, he puts his arms around the strong neck.

And talks in that _spot. _

"Don't go… stay."

To make his point clearer, he licks were seconds ago his breath was making contact with the skin.

Kiss, lick, kiss, lick.

Like a puppy trying to get attention.

Barry's response is immediate.

He grins at _feeling_ it.

"Sooo… what do you say?"

He supports himself with one arm, and just when his hand was at millimeters of touching the handsome face, his movement was stopped by a firm grip on his wrist.

He is not Barry, he couldn't have avoided it.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you like this."

Strong arms place him back on the bed.

He can't help but pout.

"You weren't going to take anything… it was going to be more like _receiving. _ "

…Wait

…He said that aloud?

He couldn't hear well the groan because his senses were all focused on that oh so welcome mouth on his neck. Biting, marking, bruising… _owning. _

"ah!"

The blonde caressed lightly one of the slim legs.

"Not… *mark*… going to… *bite*… do any-… *bite*…-thing."

He was in a trance when he felt the hot breath travel from his neck to his lips.

This time the kiss was passionate and demanding. The red clad hero was claiming his lips in a bruising kiss.

He doesn't need medical attention; he needs more kisses like that.

He was at total mercy of the scarlet hero, when the older creates a distance.

No… come back.

The blurry eyes must have seen his need, because he felt bearably perceptive feather-kisses on the freckles situated in his nose and under his eyes.

Just when those lips were going to meet his…

"No… babe, I can't, you are hurt… let-let me take care of you."

He just nods. He doesn't trust his voice.

When the fabric of his suit was totally removed the same smell of burnt skin causes him nausea.

"That man has his days counted."

"…"

He holds the tears in the corner of his eyes.

Barry's lips the ones that have been healing him the whole night; kiss sweetly the burns.

He couldn't hold a sob.

"Shhh, babe I'll take care of you… Close your beautiful eyes and rest… You are _save_ … I promise you that when you'll open them again… These burns would be gone."

Long fingers put some red hairs behind his ear, and with the sensation of security and protection from the man he loves, he falls asleep, his last waking sensation was Barry's lips brushing his temple.

The next time that he opened his eyes… The burns were gone.

_Present. _

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

"Wally!"

Roy felt a vibration travel through his body when he took brusquely the younger boy by the shoulder.

He had to do it, Wally wasn't responding. He sees quizzically how the younger blinks several times.

Long ago they left the bus stop and started walking by the nice neighborhood, he respected his companion's silence, he knows that Wally at least suspects that he sent the email, if not already made the assumption that he sent it.

He would be lying if he denies that it doesn't hurt.

But he is the only one that knows that no matter the years, Barry Allen would always be the first in Wally's list. Not Artemis, not Dick, or he, like everybody thinks… is that man.

Always him.

Is his word against the word of Wally's first, _and only__,_ love.

It would be idiotic to think that Wally would believe him.

"Sorry I… I… don't know why I…"

Electric blue eyes studied how the younger redhead stopped his steps and touched his forehead, like if it was in pain.

"Are you alright?"

The pupils of the younger dilated a little when he used his speed to step away from the touch of the older redhead.

It took him three seconds to recognize him.

"I'm fine… The house is over there."

The older raised an eyebrow when he saw how the younger moved his head several times, like trying to dissipate bad memories.

Neither of them had easy lives.

Dick's past, his problems with GA, his identity issues, Wally's secret and now… Artemis's death.

His body tenses at seeing the decent house.

"Explain me again how much Wayne Foundation pays you for being a geek?"

His subconscious sighs relieved at seeing a playful sparkle in the green eyes.

"Zero."

"Huh?"

"You know who the owner of that foundation is?"

He nods indifferently until realization hits him.

… Bruce Wayne.

"I'm really thankful for the opportunity but I sent him a letter via _bird-lines_ thanking him and also telling him that I wouldn't be receiving any money, that with the acceptation to the college was more than enough."

"What he did?"

"He sent me more money."

He chuckled.

"So every month I gave a ridiculous amount of money to the orphans in Central, other times I sent to orphans in Vlatava."

When Roy started to ascend the stairs he realized that Wally lived in a duplex.

"What the bird says of his dad sending you money?"

"… I really don't want to know."

This time he laughed.

His laugh died when he entered the dorm… Artemis.

The place has her presence.

His brain instantly sends him the memory of Jade's tears at five in the morning while hugging Lian.

She didn't know that she was an aunt.

"Here."

This time it was the turn of Wally to wake him up from his thoughts.

He gave him a paper with the email and a glass with orange juice.

Roy sits in the couch.

"You should move."

"Huh?"

"That's Katniss spot."

Grrrr.

With confusion he saw a not happy pit bull behind the speedster's legs.

He glared at her and after a couple of seconds she ignored him and went to other part of the dorm, for logic it would be the bedroom.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

"What's that _noise?"_

A sigh.

"The shower is broken."

"…How a shower…?"

"Drop it…. How is Lian?"

…

…

…

"…?…"

This time Roy was too perplexed to enjoy Wally's cocky attitude that suits him so well.

"One night at the university's lab, your wife literally fell of the ceiling, ruined my prototype by the way, and asked me if I knew were you where."

"…"

"She had a cute girl on her back… that's dangerous; you should tell her to stop that."

"…" He had drunk the entire juice with just one swallow.

"Anyway, I asked her if she was hungry and we ended up eating cheap sushi downtown."

"Does any…?"

"My lips are sealed. But I think that by now it's a well known secret."

"…" He just nodded.

"… I'll leave you both alone, I'm gonna check that Katniss hasn't drank the shower's water."

Roy waited until Wally's slim silhouette disappeared to start reading.

_Love can be very confusing. It makes you question yourself that if you love someone so much, you should still be with them. That is not always the case…_

_Part X _

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Tic, toc.

Oceanic blue eyes stared at the freckled redhead from the door frame.

He was sitting on the floor, one leg flexed, with one arm carelessly on his knee; the other leg was the pillow of the white pit bull. His eyes were staring at the dog absently while he caressed the soft furs.

He looked peaceful.

But he knows him, well, used to.

Something is disturbing him.

_Someone._

He tries to calm himself, but the tension accumulated in his body betrays him.

"You really think that I sent this?" His voice sounds hoarser and husky while he throws the piece of paper near Wally.

The boy bites his lips.

"I don't know what to think anymore."

Who cares if Barry sent it.

Who cares if Roy sent it.

Either way it hurt him.

Either way the words were true.

"This… this is why four years ago you appeared in my apartment?"

"Yes."

"Wally _believe_ me I didn't at any circumstance wrote this."

Wally's laugh is bitter.

"You all liars have the same excuses."

With heaviness the speedster stands up and looks directly at the archer.

"You were the only one besides Barry and me that knew, you never approved what we had and you _know_ that years ago you called me that way."

"I-I…That's not fair Wally, you know that I wasn't thinking clearly that time, I would always be sorry for what happened that night."

"…"

"I didn't write this! And you told me that your aunt and your mother knew!"

"My mother found out when I was missing, Iris told her."

"So…"

"Iris didn't send it."

"But…"

"She didn't! I know her ok? She would never do something like that. Besides she is smart, but there is no way that she could have hacked League's platform."

"And you think _I can?"_

"You already hacked League's minds once."

"Why you believe in that man instead of me? Why you believe in the guy who used you and betrayed you?"

"…"

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

There is no logical reason.

There is no reason.

Deep blue eyes watched how jades stared at the floor.

"How can you call it love, when you're crying more that you're smiling?" His voice sounded so pathetic… like a plea.

He reached for the younger and lifted his face by the chin.

"I… I want to believe in both of you…"

"That's not possible."

"…"

He understood the silence and stepped away from the freckled face after a final caress on the cheek.

Number four on the list.

That would never change Roy.

Keep that in your stubborn mind.

"You didn't see him Roy, he looked really confused."

"And how I look? Guilty?!"

"Roy… he didn't know that Iris found out."

"With more reasons your aunt was the one! She let you suffer, she told you to step away from her family that is _yours too_, she told your mother, she told Joan, and she misses to tell HER HUSBAND!? "

"…"

"Why she didn't blame him huh? He is the one that should be paying not you!"

"… I..."

"Shut up Wally! He was the adult! He was the responsible one! She should have confronted him!"

"He could have gone to jail!"

"I'm not saying that she should have called the F.B.I I'm just saying that is weird, to not say _dysfunctional,_ that a wife discovers an affair and says nothing to her husband."

"…"

Roy sighs tired.

"All I want you to understand is that she acted wrong, your mother did too… They shouldn't have made you pass through an exile like a freaking convict. You were just a kid and they left you alone. They know how insecure you are, they know how you react when you are depressed… Those women's actions could have killed you!"

"WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY!?"

His act… his _denial_ are crumbling.

Barry's visit, Dick's visit, Roy's visit.

They are tearing his fragile equilibrium apart.

"That my own mother kicked me out? That she didn't even let me pack my stuffs? That she didn't let me visit her until she decided that I was _cured?_ That my own aunt, the one that I loved more than my own mother choose to sacrifice my relationship with her so that way she can keep an act with her husband? Is that what you want to hear?!"

"Walls…"

"You know that my mother filled my dad's head with constants excuses that supposedly I said?… I didn't see my dad until I told her that I was living with Artemis... I wasn't _allowed_ to return home…"

Electric blue eyes watched in despair how the freckled redhead sits nonchalantly with one resigned exhale.

"I… I didn't know."

"Of course not, it's nobody's business."

"I…"

_I'm sorry._

_For abound you._

_For didn't notice that when you begged me to return… It was also a plea to not be alone._

"_I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember."_

Roy almost misses the whisper.

"I'm going to find out who wrote that email."

"…" Jades stare at oceans with desperation.

"Why you can't let it go?! Leave the past in the past! I already forgave you… I don't care who wrote it."

Light cooper strands moved lightly when the owner shook his head in disbelief.

He felt how callused fingers putted the strands behind his ear. The taller in the room knelt in front of him.

"But I do, Wally somebody _knows,_ somebody was _watching_ you, somebody sent that email at a too convenient moment, Flash's wasn't on earth, you were unstable… somebody can hack League's platform… something is seriously wrong, and if you don't believe me… I'm going to prove you that I didn't write it."

With nervousness the younger couldn't hold the stare and diverted his stare to the door of the bathroom.

"… You don't have to."

"Wally, somebody can be _watching_ right now."

The younger let the words sink for less than a second before a quite chuckle escaped from his lips.

"Roy, I'm a retired _sidekick._ I was just a kid that could bearably reach the speed of sound. Why would somebody be interested in me when they can waste their time on the _real_ speedsters?…"

An electric current trough his spine made him shut up, the furious oceanic eyes of the archer where dangerously close.

"Don' . speak. like. that. of. yourself. _ever._ Not in my presence, got it?"

Pretty Jades blink stupidly.

_Why it's so important?… It's the truth._

_His powers are weaker._

_Everyday._

"At what time you start your other job?"

Roy sees the graceful profile of the speedster while he searches with his eyes the clock on the nightstand.

"Huh?…. Shit!"

Thanks to his reflexes a vibrating blur didn't knock him.

"Wait! I'm going with you!"

"Whhhhhyy?!"

"Well, if you want I can stay here and fix your shower."

He was pulled from the arm and milliseconds later, smaller hands were pushing him from the back.

"Let'sgolet'sgo!"

"You don't trust me?"

"I trust _you_ … your mechanic abilities?… not much."

"Hey! It wasn't my fault! That boat was possessed!"

"… You almost decapitated Kaldur."

"He has thicker skin… Either way I'm going with you, I need to see if your work environment is reliable. "

"Jeezz… Why everybody treats me like a baby!?"

"Because you are our baby."

(1) It's not my time. 3 doors Down. (First verse and chorus.)

*One of the "intruders" that Katniss saw was Match.

I'm very grateful, thank you for reading, I know that the main pair of this story isn't particularly popular, but all of you accepted it, respected it, and read the story anyway… thank you.

I want to clarify something before it causes confusion. The usb driver that Dick gave to Wally IS NOT the same one as the famous usb in Darkest… When I was watching Bloodlines I noted that Dick was investigating what a meta-gene was… so I assumed that maybe Dick would have asked Wally about it, because… Wally is a geek. This chapter is waaaay before Darkest.

Take care!


	6. Chapter 5

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER V

Part I

Sometimes he thinks that he is a masochist, why of all the advanced areas of forensic science he picked biology?!

It has the most terrifying subjects… DNA Analysis and Human Genetics.

They are pretty cool but… Jeez he is _tired._

He is working without counting the internship like ten hours per day; he bearably can attend on time the classes… he doesn't have the time to study, less to do the multiple assignments. Three per period, each semester has three periods… So yeah nine, without counting the final assignment. That's per subject.

Don't forget the three famous partials… Exams that represent the 70% of each period.

If they are going to give so much average to the tests why would one poor soul bother in doing the assignments?

Because you will _need_ those 30%.

Maybe he needs to retire one of the subjects while he has the time.

He has an internship, his works and a _mission_ to worry about.

No! He already ended all his subjects and internships of his other career; he needs to end these two final subjects of forensics to finally have time to work on his engineer's thesis.

His studies seem to be a burden but, to him, they are a bless; he can control the anxiety of his body to _run_ , he can stop eating so that way his body would never have the energy to run, he is deteriorating his immune system, his muscles, his bones… but he has to, either way he would start _vibrating,_ if his body has the energy captive, it would find a way to liberate it… that's extremely dangerous… so the best is to not have any energy at all.

Just the necessary.

But when is about his mind… that can't be controlled, his neurons, his fast line of thoughts… If he doesn't keep his mentality busy, the migraines would start. That's why he tries to be as occupied as possible.

And the fact that he really enjoys his careers… that's a bonus.

… Artemis is right.

…He really is the prince of the geeks.

He can't hold the depressed sigh that escaped from his lips.

He misses her.

He is worried.

She sacrificed her life.

Kaldur sacrificed his soul.

He doesn't want to go to his dorm and finally realize that he is alone.

Soon he'll have to pack her stuffs and send them to Paula.

…

Don't follow those thoughts Wally.

Quick, think about something else.

Think about that pattern analysis that you need to do for tomorrow.

…

Son of a…

He totally forgot about that!

He is really considering the idea to hit his head with one of the trees until he sees the white light at the end of a tunnel.

Sweet temptation.

He hears the sound of a bus stopping next to him, but he ignores it.

"WALLY! KID!"

Fighting the heaviness in the corners of his lips he smiles at the bus driver.

"Hey Joey!"

He is confused by the frown in the normally kind face of the old driver.

"What have I told you about walking alone at this hours Wally!?"

Why is everybody reprimanding him today?

"It's ok Joe, I needed to stretch my legs." He shrugs absently.

"Well, do it at another time. Now get inside!"

"But…"

"West get inside already! I want to sleep!" Yells one of the passengers.

"… I'm fine Joe; I'm near my house anyway, leave."

The elderly man didn't hide his worry before he restarted the bus.

The young redhead waited for the bus to disappear in a corner to start walking again, this time he putted on his headphones.

His green Jades stared at the uncountable stars.

He wished for a rainy night.

They help him to sleep without nightmares.

But he knows that his wishes will never become truth.

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

You can't ask for something eternal to a simple mortal.

Stars just grant wishes in the movies.

He suppressed a sad laugh at imagining Kent Nelson reprimanding him too.

Maybe stars just don't grant wishes for people like him but…

"You finally arrived, I was so worried."

His heart stopped beating. In front of him, just a few steps from him, was standing no other than the fastest man alive, in all his scarlet glory.

His mind sends him the memory of pale blue eyes just like few hours ago.

And his weak stupid _stupid stupid_ heart melted again.

Warm arms around him.

Demanding lips.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

He bit his tongue until he tasted blood.

You are not going to fall because of the same rock again.

Enough is enough.

Everything that once was; the time left it behind.

He knows that he should be saying something. Some remark, an insult… anything, but…

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

He can't.

His unaware of the determinate fire that his eyes acquired; he gain courage from places that he doesn't know their existence. But he clung to those remnants of courage with his life.

And walked as if nobody was there.

Ignoring the man that is nailed inside his heart like a knife.

He ignored the thumping and tantrum of his heart, the pleas of his mind and cries of his soul.

He ignored the way that their bodies shifted at being so close for a second, the involuntary vibration… The white lenses widening, the sound of his gasp…

Acted as if he didn't see the gloved hand move towards his.

And entered the house with a bearable perceptive sound.

In his small bubble, in his fragile hideout, in his fort…

His shaky hand couldn't let go the knob.

Hi bit his lip until little dots of blood cover it.

"I can't love you again…"

"_You'll love me again... Is a promise." _

"…Because I already love you."

But you'll never realize that.

He can't believe what he just did.

_The right thing. _Tells him a voice similar to Roy's.

Untrusting his own decisions, he locks the door. It's a naive thought, to think that a simple door locked can stop one of the most powerful men in the world but…

…

He doesn't want to think in how he is going to react if he is dragged to another kiss like the last one.

His still shaking body finds support on the door and slides to the floor.

He stares at the ceiling nervously before he searches his phone in his pocket.

Who are you going to call Wally?

You are alone.

And like the cosmos sending him a signal he receives a sms from Dick:

*Need the analysis ASAP. SB is thinking in going after A.*

Just what the doctor recommended.

He lets go a final exhale and forcing his body to act, with a final thought he goes to his bedroom.

It's time to hide from the world the pain… under the skin.

Who is he kidding? He'll cry himself to sleep.

Today has been a long day.

One he wants to forget.

Part II

He punched the tree so fast and with such strength, that for the eyes of a mere mortal in a blink a giant hole appeared in the trunk, for the next storm the tree would surely break in two.

He is not a violent person.

This is unlike him.

With Iris… even before her… he has always been so… _serene. _

When he got his powers, he accepted that they would private him to enjoy life's simple things…

That people's common activities… he would no longer be fond of them. Even that sensation of hopeless… can't compare to this.

All this years, he tried and succeeded in remain his carefree vision of the world.

He is always relaxed and tries to see the good side in the most horrible situations.

But right now he can't see a damn thing.

This wasn't what he thought it would happen.

At all.

He failed at containing his breaths under control.

Just Wally can do this to him.

Just him.

He is the only one that can break in two his reason.

He is the only one that burns his blood.

And what exactly he was expecting to happen?

"Maybe a couple of yells, insults… sarcastic lines… not… whatever happened."

He…

He…

He just walked by him as if they never met.

Reporters always ask him of what he is afraid.

What really scares him?

What really scares him is that one day he would mean nothing to the one he loves.

And that just happened.

And he did nothing to stop it.

He sees the stairs and in a blink he is at centimeters of the door.

Should he enter?

Last time he did that…

Memories of tears and sad Jades made him hesitate.

He can feel his boy just across the door.

It would take less than a nanosecond to grab his speedster and hold him until he wins his forgiveness.

He growls before he rest his back on the door and slides to the floor.

He removes his cowl brusquely.

How is he going to…

…To what?

Maybe this is a signal.

Maybe he should return…

But he knows that what is waiting for him in Central…

… Is not what he really wants.

What is waiting for him in Central is a disguise hanging in his closet.

And has nothing to do with his suit.

He knows that the ache would ease with the love of his family but… the ache can't be smiled away.

He sighs jadedly.

Wally doesn't want to know anything about him.

Just time and faith seem to be the solution.

"I wish my brain had a map to tell me where my heart should go…"

He stands up slowly and…

"_I can't love you again…"_

…

"…_Because I already love you." _

… _Babe. _

It will.

It will be as you want…

If he has to wait for another seven lives.

He would be waiting.

Is this their fortune? Is this their fate?

Is their destiny to be this close… to be at one step of his mouth and… never be able to kiss it.

So near his skin and… without touching it.

…. Maybe so much love is forgiven.

He shakes his head stubbornly.

Four years.

Four years thinking that Wally left him.

He let him get away once.

_Not anymore._

From the corner of his eye he distinguishes the slim silhouette of the redhead by the window.

Without really thinking he sees the bars of the stairs and climbs them. The green eyed speedster changed his clothes, now he is in pajamas, comes from the kitchen with a cup of coffee and sits on some cushions sprayed on the floor in the living room, in front of a short table that has several books and a silver laptop on top.

It seems like he is doing homework.

… At midnight.

Light cooper strands keep getting in his camp of vision, so the redhead repeatedly times tries to push them behind his ear, when he finally succeeds; green orbs with the gleam of the monitor, acquire a pretty aqua gleam.

After a couple of minutes he can declare that the attractive redhead isn't going to end his assignment. He looked really tired. It has happened two times, his eye lids start to close and when the long eyelashes touch pretty freckles… his forehead connects with the monitor with a soft hit.

It's adorable.

While he is drinking the sight… He can't understand.

Why he waited for four years to come?

It's _stupid._

When the little speedster is just yawns and rubs in the eye he can't take it anymore.

He is going in.

Without taking his eyes away from the lethargic redhead he reaches for one of the branches of the tree next to the window.

…

It's unnecessary to say that it didn't support his weigh.

…

Yes, it hurt like hell.

"Wow you are desperate…. Grandpa."

Part III

"What are you doing here Bart?"

From the ground pale blue eyes see a teen wearing dark clothes, a cap and… sunglasses.

"That's my line."

While he stands up he can feel the daggers sent on his way.

"… Why you are dressed like one of the bats?"

In a blur the teen removes his sunglasses, revealing questioning golden eyes.

"Shu-shut up! I was incognito."

"… Why?"

He raises an eyebrow at seeing the odder behavior of his… grandson.

He still has problems adjusting to the term.

"I can't say or we all be feeling the mode."

… Right.

"Well, we better return to Central, Jay must be really worried about you."

"Nu-uh. Not until you tell me why you were spying my cousin."

Barry has problems trying to remain his expressions like an adult should.

"I wasn't spying!"

"Of course not, spies are stealthy."

Nobody respects their grandfathers these days.

"Bart we are leaving and that's my final warning."

"WhyWallyignoredyou?Whyyupunchedthattreeasifyouw erepossesedbythatPainguythat Timtoldmeabout?Whyhesaidthathecan'tloveyouagain?Whyyouwerebrooding?"

"I… I-I wasn't brooding."

"Yesyouwere."

"…"

_Please forget about… _

"Why he said that he can't love you again?"

… _that. _

"How you heard that?"

"I can vibrate so fast until I'm invisible, crash huh?"

…

"Yeah… very… _ crash_ . Listen Bart, what happened between Wally and me is an adult thing you would not under…"

"What happened between you and Wally happened four years ago, when he was just seventeen… he wasn't an adult."

Bart's cocky smile turned wider at seeing how the shoulders of the scarlet hero tensed.

"Bart, what do you…?"

"I'm from the future." Said like if his statement was all that the adult needed to connect the dots.

"So…you…" Barry's skin turned pale and stumbled a few steps going backwards.

"Oh I know." The teen grinned like a cat.

"B-but… then why?... I need to take you safe in Central, it's late and you are tired and..."

"If you don't tell me right now what your intentions with my cousin were, I'm going to tell my grandma just who I found in Palo Alto."

"…" Pale blue eyes turned gray.

"Barry I need to know that you weren't going to take advantage of him."

What the…

"Of course not! Why would you ever think something like that?!"

For the first time in the night, the brown haired teen hesitated with his defensive aura.

"I'm…I'm sorry from where I came from… let's say that just few things are crash."

"… Of what are…"

"Ican'tsay!"

Of course not.

"Bart… In your future… Did I do something to Wally?"

The teen snorts without any sign of amusement. " _Believe_ me you don't do anything to him."

There is something in the way that he said it, that didn't tranquilize his worry.

"Bart, who hurts Wally in your future?"

"Ican't…"

"Enough of that!" The adult grabs the teen by the shoulders.

"Why you care of who will hurt Wally in the future if you are the one that is hurting him now?!"

The boy vibrates and escapes from the hold.

"You think that I don't know it?! I'm trying to fix it! But he just doesn't let me in!... I'm wishing for impossible things…. This is ridiculous."

Golden eyes stare perplexed at the figure of his grandfather disappearing trough the door upstairs.

Without any thought he followed him.

He found him on the bedroom, placing a sheet over the completely asleep redhead. He raised an eyebrow when he perceived that the blonde man was still holding up a part of the sheet.

"Take care of him Katniss." Whispers softly the man.

"Grrr." With self-confidence the pit bull climbs the bed and went under the covers easily, it wasn't until she was comfortable that Barry left the sheet alone.

With awkwardness, Bart looked away when he saw the eyes of his idol lose some fire at repressing himself to kiss the sleeping speedster on the lips. Instead, with his thumb he removed some milk from the corners of the soft lips; he didn't say anything about the caress over the bottom lip.

"The-there was a time… that he didn't have the time to cut his hair and his locks were so long that when he slept, the tips of the locks used to brush his lips… they tickled him… so he smiled and laughed in his sleep…."

"…"

Bart smiled when he saw the cute kisses, one in the temple, and the other in a freckle just under some eyelashes.

"…" The younger bites the nail of his thumb while he sees quizzically his grandfather.

_Maybe… _

"Alright, alright, if you ask me this miserable how can I say no?"

"…?"

"I'll help you."

"… Excuse me?"

"Stop begging me, I already said yes."

Part IV

Experience taught him to keep his hopes as realistic as possible. So when he woke up all comfortable, curled, warm, vibrating, and rested, he didn't let his mind think that today was going to be a good day. Even if he dreamed with certain hero caring about him.

"…"

What was that?

"…"

Silence.

The shower… was fixed.

Now that he thinks about it… He doesn't remember going into bed.

…

Whhhhhyyyyy?!

"Stupidimpossibleself-consciousinsufferablestalker …. Arg!"

Mumbling his insults with his cheeks totally red, and his nose wrinkled graciously, he goes to the kitchen. Grabs a glass with water, closes with more strength than necessary the poor refrigerator and stops his steps at seeing in the middle of the table…

… A rose.

An insignificant yet magnificent rose.

He rolls his eyes and ignores it.

Yes Barry, with a rose you'll fix everything.

These days the League hires brainless people.

He takes a shower doesn't think about the rose , eats a sandwich with Nutella, strawberries, bananas and cinnamon doesn't think about the rose . And when he was picking up his laptop for the internship…

… He glares at the rose.

"Huh?"

It's over a letter.

…

That he won't read.

…

Don't read it Wally. The voice similar to Roy's says.

…

Don't be a coward, the sooner you'll read it, the sooner you'll forget about it. Nice, now he has a voice similar to Dick's inside his head.

…

He needs therapy.

…

Yes.

Definitely.

Say both voices at unison.

…

He bites his lips for a couple of seconds.

Seconds that he should be wasting doing the pattern analysis that he has to present today, without extension.

…

The last time that he read a text from that man… He doesn't want to think about it.

So he picks up his laptop, puts it inside his bag, grabs the keys, his cell phone…

"Arg!"

And reads.

_Someone wants to always be there for you. Someone wants to hold you and never let you go. Someone is failing at saying the words he wants to say to you. Someone wants to take your pain away. Someone is hearing your cries. Someone wants to put an end to your act. Someone is dying at seeing you in pain. Someone believes in forever. Someone wants to make you believe in forever. Someone's heart is dreaming about you. Someone is missing you aching in the bottom-of-your-heart pain. Someone's mind is insane because of you. Someone's time passes slow because you aren't next to him. Someone is thinking about stealing you of the world. Someone is smiling because he is thinking about you. Someone is ashamed for taking advantage of your kindness. Someone is amused of your impulse to always apologize for things that you didn't do. Someone is making you his life. Someone is in love with your shyness. Someone's heart is beating faster while writing this. Someone isn't afraid of admitting that he misses you. Someone's biggest fear is to lose you. Someone misses to come to your house at nine in the morning to wake you up on weekends. Someone is alive because of you. Someone has faith in you. Someone needs you to have faith in yourself. Someone misses to take you to the park and push you in the swings. Someone can't breathe without you. But someone has to. Someone would be glad to run by your side forever. Someone loves your smile. Someone wants to kiss you wherever he wants. Someone's definition of perfect, unforgettable, amazing, beautiful, just-plain-awesome, it's you. You, you, you. Someone won't give you up. _

Someone is still outside.

That's…

That's…

That's impossible… right?

_Right?_

He… he wouldn't dare… he wouldn't dare to leave his… and stay the whole night outside the…

… Please no.

He rushes to the window and…

This time his mind doesn't have to send any memory to his heart… He sees the pale blue eyes under the first rays of the Sun. It turns out that with the rays of the dawn… they look heart-clenchingly beautiful.

And just like that…

… He is gone.

He stays for a couple of minutes with the tips of his fingers touching the cold surface of the window. Lingering the scarlet silhouette.

"GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE!"

He still doesn't know how he didn't vibrate trough the floor.

"Ba-Bart?!"

"Yeap?"

"Don't do that!"

"Hehehe you just had to see your face hehehahaha… man it was so crash."

"Yeah? Well, if you don't want to feel the mode I recommend you to stop scaring me!"

"Hey! You are learning! Maybe, when I'll come back to the future, I'll bring you with me."

"I'm not already there?"

"Eeehhh… I like this you better."

"… Thanks?... Hey!"

Wally smiles softly at being hugged by his cousin.

"You slept well?" Big golden eyes stare at him trough silky brown hairs.

"Yes I did… why you aren't at Central?... in a bus, going to your school?"

"Because I wanted to ask you something… a favor."

"A favor?"

The redhead tries and fails miserably to hide the smile forming in his lips.

Bart's happiness is contagious.

"Yeap!... I need you to show me the world's fastest routes."

"… The… what?"

"You know! For when you need to take a few laps around the world in a big mission, where every second counts."

"Bart… there are others more qua…"

"But I want it to be you!"

"But Bart… I'm…"

"Pleeeaaasseee?"

The teen hugs him so tight and with such strength, that leaves him breathless.

"… Fine."

"Yay!"

Wow, Bart can lift him up.

"But only around North America."

"But…"

"You leave it or take it."

"I take it! I take it! Can it be tomorrow morning? It's Saturday."

"… Ok."

"Yay! Trust me… you are not going to regret it!"

"… *sigh* You ate breakfast?"

"Yep, we ate in a bakery in Argentina."

For both speedsters the time froze.

Did Bart just said… _We _ and _Argentina?_

Please say with Jay, please.

By the way that the teen covered his mouth…

"Iforgottosayatinylittleandin significantthing…GrandpaBarryiscomingtoo… Ohhh look at the hour… I gotta go!"

When the teen disappeared in a blur, the rose turned around itself; and the letter fell down to the floor.

"That-that… Arg! I _hate_ him! IS IMPOSSIBLE!"

Katniss woke up for a little bit… her ears popped up.

"Why is he doing this to me?!"

Funny… she never heard her pup this happy before.

Part V

He _hates_ him.

Why why oh why he keeps mocking him?

Why is so easy for him to ignore all the difficulties and situations that he has been trough?"

The emotional break-down from yesterday…

All his efforts to ignore him…

… Why is so easy for him to ignore all that?

Why he doesn't just _go away?_

It's not like he hasn't already done it before.

Why now?

_Because your girlfriend died and he thinks that he has the road free. _

Thank you for the clarification _Angroy._

Yes, he called the voices _Angroy._ and _Dickie._

If they are going to be inside his head without permission, he can call them like he wants.

The truth is that he is _exhausted._

And so screwed.

When he went to the internship at the Police Department he was greeted with accumulated work. When he went to his job at Red Devils, Cameron wasn't there, so he handled the place by himself. When he returned to the Police Department, this time as a mechanic… well, they weren't lying, those cars are in really serious conditions, it's no wonder that they never catch the bad guys.

In conclusion… he couldn't find the time to do the pattern analysis.

Maybe he has to retire the subject after all.

It's a shame but…

…He really needs the evaluation.

It is becoming a somber routine, but the normally breathtakingly green eyes, are without their alluring sparkle.

A sigh escapes from the soft lips before he enters the class…

Just a miracle can save him from the severe judgment of Miss. Gladys Collins.

He buries his face till the nose, in the green scarf that Artemis bought for him years ago.

Maybe he can pass unnoticed.

"West."

… Or not.

"Yes Miss Collins?"

The calculative black eyes show no emotion when they see him.

"I need to have a word with you at the end of class."

Perfect.

He sits as usual at the end of the room, next to a window.

As the voice of the young woman gradually vanishes in his ears… he can finally have time to think about several things.

He thinks about the speech that he is going to say to Miss Collins, he is going to retire the subject.

Barry.

Roy thirst for trouble.

Barry.

The Krolotean data that Dick gave him.

Barry.

Soon it would be a week without any notice of Artemis and Kaldur.

Barry.

… _Barry._

He needs to stay as far from him as possible.

"West?"

The room is empty.

When that happened?

"Ye-yes?"

He sees a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raise, and a look of condescension.

He bites his lips as he rushes himself to pack his untouched stuffs.

"I wanted to talk about your pattern analysis."

The grip in his backpack tightens.

"About that Miss Collins I-I…I…"

"Congratulations."

…Huh?

The young woman with a P.H.D didn't even blink at the sight of a charming redhead with his head tilted in confusion, cooper strands brushed little freckles and impossible green eyes stared at her as if she had a second head.

"For… what?"

"Your patter analysis, the one you sent me in the morning, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, not by the quality, I've always acknowledged your potential, although the explanation from the point of view of chemistry was a pleasant surprise, but by your punctuality and responsibility… Congratulations."

It wasn't until the sound of her heels against the wooden floor weren't heard anymore, that the redhead face palmed.

He _hates_ him.

_You should keep him around until you end your classes. _

Shut up _Dickie._

Part VI

He _hates_ himself.

In his way to the duplex his heart couldn't stop thumping as if he just run around the world hundreds of times.

It's stupid.

Why he feels anxious?

… It's like…

…As if a part of him…

…Wishes for certain scarlet speedster to be there…

He has been forcing his mind to remind the words sent by email.

His heart refuses to forget the words read this morning.

_Someone won't give you up. _

A shiver runs trough his body every time.

_Stupid, stupid_ heart.

He _is_ a masochist.

When he noticed the lights on in his duplex…

… His face burned.

He stood in the middle of the sidewalk, biting his lip like an idiot, for an eternity.

He came to the conclusion that he can no longer deny what he feels.

What he desires.

He is actually _happy._

His heart is content.

Just Barry can do this to him.

With a final exhale he opens the door.

…

…

…

It's empty.

Katniss is sleeping on her usual spot in the couch.

The books are placed just like when he left.

Even the glass that Roy used the day before…

…Nobody was there.

_As it should be._

Who cares?

Says his head.

You do stupid.

Says his heart.

He closes his eyes and takes a few steps, when he stepped on something.

The letter.

He takes it, reads it, converts it into a ball and throws it.

Dick is right.

He tends to create illusions.

_Someone won't give you up. _

What was intended to be a snort came out like a sob.

He glares at the table where he threw the ball and notices a box.

With his innate curiosity he goes near.

And recognizes it.

It has been _years._

_Not even when he went to New Zealand the sky had been this beautiful._

_Yes, the lights of the Aurora Australis were supreme but… right here, right now… _

_In New Zealand the stars looked like diamonds… millions and millions of infinite diamonds… Here… they looked like golden pearls… so warm and calm… And so close… as if at any moment one of them would burn and even fall to the earth… to make a wish come true… _

_Right now he doesn't have anything to wish… He has all that he could have possible imagined._

_Somewhere Kent Nelson is smiling at him._

_He just knows it._

_The night is perfect, serene and quiet. The sound of nature harmonizes with the view. Earlier he saw kestrels, eagles, red kites and even an Egyptian Vulture fly with the summer breeze. The valley and its ravine looked dramatically gorgeous. _

_There is something spiritual about Italy._

_He closed his eyes and let the warm breeze play with his hair. _

"_Hahaha." _

_It tickled. _

_Strong arms held him in a blazing hug while demanding lips trapped him in a balsamic experience. _

_Warm hands sneaked into his cotton shirt and caressed his spine. _

_He caressed soft blonde hair until his fingers were tangled. _

_The kiss ended sweetly, with small feather kisses over his freckles. _

"_Hahaha." _

_He is so… happy. _

"_Sorry If I took so long… but I found a gelaterie open… hope you like it." _

_He didn't hide his smile at the man in front of him. _

"_What? You didn't know about my abilities to speak Italian?" _

_He couldn't suppress the laugh. "…No I didn't… Didn't find any trattoria?" _

…

"_A what?" _

"_Hahaha." He couldn't stop smiling and laughing. Not when those arms kept him so close, embracing him, making him feel loved. _

_It wasn't until he felt an utterly sweet caress in his cheek that he could gain his composure. _

"_I love seeing you like this." The combination of pale blue eyes and a deep voice made him blush as if they were in a volcano instead a small province in Italy. _

"_And I love… you." _

_Their foreheads touched and both smiled like a pair of cats running away in the night. _

"_Here, I can't wait to see your face when you taste them!"_

_Before his eyes was a carmine box; the box had the name of the local *Sospiri d' Amore a Matera* in impeccably golden impressions. _

_With curiosity sparkling in his jades he opened it. _

_A dozen of perfect Macarons were alienated, all of them colored in a sweet pink tone. _

"_I know how much you love everything that has strawberries so…" _

_He loves when Barry is flustered for no reason. _

_He takes one of the little delights and tastes it. _

…

_Wow. _

"_Please tell me you bought more." _

"_Hahaha." _

_This time the contagious laugh echoed the whole Miglionico Castle. _

_Yes, in their first month… Barry took him to a castle in Southern Italy._

"Sospiri d' Amore a Matera." Reads aloud in the small duplex.

How far from that time they are.

"… I… _can't_ hate you."

A/N: Thank you for taking your time, your attentiveness is really appreciated.


	7. Chapter 6

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER VI

Part I

"The prefix *_meta*_ simply means *_beyond_* , describing persons and abilities beyond human limits. The Kroloteans have a theory, they believe that there are a percent of humans that contain in their DNA the _meta-gene_ a *biological variant*".

"The _Competitor_ is making experiments near the brain, they want to know why just an almost imperceptible amount of humans have it; the _Competitor_ wants to discover what makes these humans so special… The aliens are skilled in science and biology enough to manipulate, dampen or modify the activities of the meta-gene."

"They discovered that this gene often lay dormant until a moment of extraordinary physiological stress activated it, and upon activation it would use the source of the biostress as a catalyst for *genetic change*, resulting in meta-human abilities."

"They… they are capturing humans that they believe that contain this gene, and they are making them pass trough… stress… monumental amounts of stress… so that way they can activate the meta-gene… Also, there are humans born with superhuman abilities, suggesting that the meta-gene can activate spontaneously and without any prior appearance in the ancestry."

"They are creating nanobyte tracers injected into the bloodstream of the metahumans that allow the _Competitor_ to locate the metas wherever they are."

"There is something else… They are interested in a weapon, an alien a… _specie…_ I don´t recognize the name but… It's on earth… The profile is incomplete I couldn't-I… sorry… but is highly dangerous, the Kroloteans describe it as a… _parasite… _ The creature controls a biological victim once infected and… Apparently the victim turns into a puppet."

He didn't try to hide his worry in every word he said.

He has a bad feeling.

The Kroloteans… the _Competitor_ … the meta-gene… the experiments to activate it…

If he closes his eyes he can feel the burns caused by a lighting like if it happened yesterday.

He doesn't believe in magic.

He doesn't believe in luck.

He doesn't believe in destiny.

He always wondered why he survived the experiment.

How a kid could have survived a one in a billion incident.

Now he knows a possibility.

Maybe he survived because he is a meta-human.

"Can you be more specific?"

The voice that answers him doesn't hide the anxiety either.

"About what?"

"Everything! Wally I _need_ answers, I _need_ a list of those metas… Who is the _Competitor?..._ Do you believe in this theory?"

"Yes."

He didn't hesitate.

"Then… Me too… this-this…"

He can't _see_ but he just _knows _ that the other person is running a hand through dark locks.

"Is too much?"

A sigh.

"…Yeah."

He bites his lips and shifts uncomfortably.

"Can-can… can we ask for help now?... Dick… I'm sure that Canary will be…"

"NO!"

He closes his eyes with force.

Dick… _please._

He opens his lips… he is ready to beg.

He can't handle this.

Not anymore.

"Dick… this is out of control… What do you think that they are doing with the atlantean, playing poker?!"

"He isn't a meta."

_Listen to yourself_.

"Dick… _please._"

I beg you.

They are making experiments.

What if they are as the one that he did years ago?

With no chance to survive?

"Send me the information I'll think of a way to gain more data."

In a quite whisper he asks. "Do… did you talk with…?"

"Just with Kaldur, listen I'm busy right now I have to go, I'll call you later."

"But…"

…

He hung up.

…

He never called.

…

That night he needed six Prozac's pills to fall asleep.

Part II

He is hungry.

Like always.

Imagining food while he is awakening… that's new.

Hell, he is even _smelling_ the food.

… And _ feeling_ it?

The…

He opens one eye and even if the red strands difficult his vision he can distinguish…

In the doorframe stands a brown haired teen with big radiant golden eyes and…

Is throwing salami…

TO. HIS. FACE.

"BREAKFAST IS READY!"

In a blur the teen is gone.

That son of a…

He blinks several times until he feels how sharp teeth eat the pieces of salami spread on his hair.

It seems that Katniss already trusts his cousin.

He just yawns and rubs his eye.

He is going to sleep again. With a series of small and content vibrations he curls and hugs the first thing that he founds…

… A stunned _but content_ pit bull of 25 kilograms.

He was already losing his consciousness when…

"WE ARE GOING ON A ROAD TRIP! MAN THIS IS SO CRASH!"

Road…

Trip…

…

Damn.

Part III

The reflection in the mirror showed a redhead with his bronzed locks completely soaked, sun-gleaming skin, strikingly and impossibly _green_ eyes that were the envy of all the Jades in the British Museum of Chinese Jade, almost unseen freckles were located in the bridge of his nose and under his eyes, they were spread graciously and…

"_Should I hide my freckles? I don't know if I will have to go to work in the afternoon_…"

Those girls said that they were hideous… Maybe…

_My hair always looks that messy? __Might as well have a neon sign attached saying *ruffle me!*_

Wake up already Wally!

Small drops of water hit the mirror when the young redhead shook his head, making the red strands move imperiously.

Why he is worry about his looks? His hair? His freckles? He never paid any attention to those stuffs before.

Let's face it, a different hairdo won't disappear the fact that he is a ginger… with freckles, too skinny and too short, compared to Roy or Dick… he is… unattractive.

And that's a polite way to put it.

He can't understand how Artemis said openly to her friends that they were together.

Maybe she is myopic.

"WHY ARE YOU SO SLOW?"

By being lost in his thoughts he almost didn't see the smaller, dark headed blur that took his toothbrush and… use it.

In a blink the blur was gone.

…

With Bart, he discovered an unknown patience that he would have never guessed that he possesses.

He sighs defeated and with a somber aura he leaves the bathroom.

Part IV

*Munch* *Grumble* *Munch* *Munch* *Grumble* *Grumble*

He was happily ignoring the teen sitting next to him, even if one second the tiny chin was on his shoulder and the other the teen was nuzzling his hair, he even ignored when the brown haired was on his lap.

*Munch* *Grumble* *Munch* *Munch* *Grumble* *Grumble*

He decided that it was more important the typing of some information to one of his professors than… Bart.

Even if the little bastard was eating his Macarons.

"ARG! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE IS LATE!"

"… Get used to it."

Actually it was a wise advice.

"Why you study so much? Aren't you supposed to be a genius or something like that?"

"… No."

"But you replicated Flash's experiment when you were just… eleven?"

"That doesn't make me a genius."

"It kind of does."

"It doesn't."

"Yes it does."

"NUH-UH."

"YUH-UH."

"NUH-UH."

"YUH-UH."

"YUH-UH."

"NUH-UH."

"Hahaha."

"NOT FAIR! YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH YUH-UH."

"What's going on?"

Bart yelped and dived across the back of the sofa. His foot caught on a cushion, he tried to gain support from the nearest thing, his cousin slim bicep, and both of them ended up sprawled in a little ball at their mentor's _and ex-mentor's_feet.

"…Mode."

"…Head… hurts…lot…"

The redhead hissed when someone grabbed him by the arm and pulled him as if he was just made of paper.

He didn't notice the frown of his helper, he become aware of his lack of weight.

Wherever Barry touches him, it spreads an energy trough his body that ends in his chest. Right now he is sure that the hands on his shoulders are the cause of his blush.

Please don't notice it. Please don't notice it. Please don't notice it.

When he gains enough courage to face the _fastest-man-that-never-knocks-alive_ and sees the sparkle in those pale blue irises… his breath hitched.

Stupid smile.

Now he knows from whom Bart learned it.

Trying to keep his dignity as intact as possible, he takes a few steps back…the hands on his shoulders kept him right where he was… tries again… there… he is free.

Well as free as you can be with two _more-faster-than-you_ speedsters in an enclosed space.

Golden eyes kept watching the scene in front of him. His eyes never leaving the red clad hero with his cowl down, and his cousin wearing dark clothes.

Man… this is *_hilarious.* _

His cousin looked like a kitten that just knows that no matter how cute he looks, he is going to get bathed.

Actually he can see the tiny vibrations in his left hand.

The green-eyed looks like someone who wants to be anywhere but here.

While his grandpa can't take his eyes from the kitten _sorry, cousin._

Yeap, the man worships the ground the redhead walks on.

"Well, now that grandpa is here you can finally change."

He doesn't know how he repressed a laugh at the startled little jump that the redheaded did.

"Change?"

And for the first time Jades become aware of the clothes of the other two speedsters.

They are wearing their suits.

Oh, hell no.

No, no no and No!

"Don't even think about it." He sounded incredulous and dangerously close to a pout.

Golden eyes watched how his cousin instantly changed his nervous behavior and replaced it with tons of stubbornness.

So the kitten has claws.

The redhead changed his posture and placed both hands on his hipbones.

"I'm not going to be Kid Flash again." That's definitely a pout.

Bart diverted his stare and looked at the pale blue eyes of his grandpa.

Seeing the mischievous sparkle that he knows that both are sharing… he can't stop but grin.

"Then how you are going to show me the fastest routes?... In civvies?"

Wally looks at himself with a starting to spread blush.

"If you run like that, your clothes would be ruined by the time we pass Star City, I'm not going to protect you from crazy containers of estrogen."

"I'm not going to wear that suit again!" The soft pink blush is starting to turn red.

Pissing Wally off is so much fun.

"I can borrow you one of my suits… but I only brought one."

"I think that mines would be too big for you."

Ohh… those Jades can be knives trying to reach your skull.

"I mean… your body is great and-and…"

Grandpa, please shut up.

Wally just raises one eyebrow and ignores the stuttering words.

In fact he is ignoring the whole being that represents the fastest man alive.

Well, pretends to, Bart knows better.

"Can't we just zeta there?"

"What?! No! Where is the fun in that? And how would I know that you won't zeta somewhere else? Although that doesn't really matter, I will find you wherever you hide."

…

…

He will give up.

With a twitch in the eye, the redhead exhales, making the red strands dance graciously.

Like walking to his death the defeated redhead goes to his bedroom.

Yay!

Grandpa and grandson fist bumped.

Two seconds later Wally returns, with a black jacket in his hand and a green scarf loosely around his neck.

"That's not how I remember the Kid Flash suit."

Grandpa and grandson looked at each other with their eyebrows raised, when the redhead ignored them and walked past them, picked up some keys and just when he was at a few steps from the door he looked at them.

"I'm not going to wear that suit again."

"Then how…!?"

"You two go to your trip I have other things to do."

"But…"

"Bart I know that you are faking those tears… I saw you run to the bathroom."

"Damn!"

With a tired exhale Wally touches the knob and…

"To wear the suit… to wear the suit is your only complain?... To be Kid Flash again?"

Expressive green eyes widened in surprise and didn't dare to move their stare from the door.

Did…

Did he just asked…

Bart took a few steps back and dropped his gaze.

This moment was too private.

"… You hate… you hate the idea that much?"

Because he is an idiot, because he can't hear any hurt from the man he loves, because he is a moth that follows blindly the moon… He faced slowly the scarlet hero.

And his chest just clutched.

Those pale eyes were staring sadly at the floor. His sweetly blond hair was messy and he looked… so nervous.

Someone in the room is standing on a line between giving up and seeing how much he can take.

Both of them, _the three_ knew perfectly the reason behind the exodus of Kid Flash.

For the world, Kid Flash was Flash's loyal sidekick, nothing more, nothing less; for the world, Flash was an epitome of justice, if his image is ruined by a scandal…

… For the world, Flash's image was more important than an illegal crush.

No matter how many times Barry Allen's heart denies it.

Because for the world, Flash's image is more important than Kid Flash's image, Wally West's life and Barry Allen's heart.

And nobody can deny that.

That's the real reason behind Wally's exile… he just wanted to protect his… beautiful betrayal.

"…Wally."

The redhead gasped.

When the blonde got so close?

No… stay away.

He stepped back awkwardly, making his back stay completely against the door... at completely mercy of the blue eyed man.

This… is too much.

It has been years since he tried to vibrate trough doors… he can try again today.

But Barry's strong hand stilled him, gripping his arm as if his life depended on it.

As if he was scared that he'll escape again… for another four years.

Their faces got closer, sharing the same oxygen; the taller man lowered his face, brushing the freckled nose with his own up and down, several times… each time gaining a small gasp or an adorable sound that escaped from parted lips. Just when their eyes were just mere lines and their thoughts just mere whispers…

"Wally… do you hate me?"

His kid just closed his eyes and after torturous seconds, he denied with his head.

Good.

Because he still doesn't know what could have happened to him if the answer was affirmative.

"I'm not going to pressure you about re-establishing your status as Kid Flash but… I want you to live like you used to… with your heart open… with freedom… come with us, _with me_ you don't have to be Kid Flash… just Wally."

Come with me and you'll understand how I feel.

Just Wally.

No Flash, no Kid Flash.

Just them.

Barry Allen and Wally West.

Pale irises stared at pretty Jades, they were so close that he spotted the different shades of green around the pupil; God he wants to kiss him… so _badly._

He rested his forearm on the door and placed his forehead on it, covering with his body the redheaded boy, that just shrank himself, trying to disappear trough the door, but the iron grip on his arm didn't let him.

"Yeah Wally… come, I promise that you'll crash… _Pleeeaaassseee. _ "

He can't see anything except red spandex but he knows that those golden eyes are looking at him like a puppy.

"And you don't have to worry about your essays I can do them for you."

"What?… No! Stop that!"

"Why, you had a bad evaluation?"

The redhead started to blush.

"N-no but s-still, I don't need your help!"

"I know you don't, but you looked adorably tired and I knew that you wouldn't…"

"I'm. Not. Adorable."

A snort was heard behind the scarlet hero.

Stupid Bart.

_Should he go?_

_Does he even wants to go?_

Don't, he will play with you again.

Don't create illusions were at the end you'll get hurt.

Angroy and Dickie are back.

He can't repress his enthusiasm.

Well… If Bart is going…

…Why not?

Without letting down his guard, he nods almost imperceptibly.

Not even a quarter of second later, his nose was connected to a strong chest.

People need to stop that! It hurts!

He almost rolled his eyes when those strong arms kept him captive for most time that is possible allowed.

How easy is to return to old roles.

He tried _and failed_ to get away, but he was still a little dizzy from the pain in his nose… and the lack of oxygen.

"Ba-rry… space… breath…my…"

"Grandpa…"

"Huh?"

"I think that he can't breathe."

"Oh!"

He stumbled when the support was gone, he actually _totally unconsciously_ placed a hand on the strong chest in search of equilibrium.

"I'm sorry… is just… you… and…"

Since when Barry is this nervous?

He is afraid to mess everything up again. Said Angroy.

…

His thoughts were gone when he felt a warm hand remove the hand he was using to soothe the pain in his nose.

"…Sorry." Those blue eyes were so close…

How can a person give you so much strength yet still be your only weakness?

"… I'm ok." A frail whisper.

"Now you'll be Kid Flash again?" Asked Bart with unhidden hope.

"Nope, I'll zeta wherever you guys will be."

He doesn't say that he is too weak to travel around the world.

"Well… you can't say that we didn't try it, right grandpa?"

What are these guys up to?

"We did, please tell Jay that I'll catch up with him tomorrow."

…

…

… Wait.

"You…Bart-Bart…aren't…"

"Take care of him!"

"…What's going on?… Where are you going Bart?… BART!"

When he tried to go after his cousin, he didn't see how the scarlet hero crouched next to him; he just felt how he was being grabbed and placed in a strong shoulder.

The…

"Hey! Put me down! Barry! Barry. Put. Me. Down. NOW!"

"Please stay still I'm carrying a precious carriage."

He thinks this is funny?

HE THINKS THIS IS FUNNY!?

… Why he is blushing?!

Part V

Warm, an abrasive warm rushing through his skin.

The cold incrusted in his bones is long forgotten.

He can't hear anything; seconds ago they surpassed the speed of sound.

Colors.

So many colors.

So bright.

He doesn't feel dizzy… not even in the slightest.

He feels… alive.

It's…

… Like open a bottle of euphoria.

His heart is awakening, finally beating at his _natural_ speed.

It's stupid and incoherent, and people would ever going to get it but, he feels… free.

And this… this whole situation it's… so… _frightening._

Barry starts to reduce the speed gradually.

Probably he guessed that an abrupt stop could have hurt him.

Carefully the strong man puts him down.

He wants to laugh bitterly, the man is not even sweating, this was… not even a training for him…

… He, in the other hand, had to seek for support in the strong chest… his legs betrayed him.

Barry works in the police department, he is a forensic… he is going to notice his unnatural weakness.

With that scary thought, he tried to step back. Caring arms embraced him and blocked his escape, soon after; they carried him and placed him under…

… Under a tree.

… Wait.

… Where this crazy man brought him?

"Barry…."

The man knelt in front of him, brushed the cooper strands that were on his face and with a caress he putted them behind his ear.

"Wait a moment here, I'm going to change, I'll be back in a flash."

"Wait!"

It was too late… he was gone.

His puff of breath was strong enough to move the rebel strands that came back to his line of vision.

With suspicious he stood up and examined the place…

… He was in a … forest.

His eyes studied the green grass, the whiteness in the rocks, the grace of the trees, he listened the sound of birds… he felt the humidity… the warmness in the breeze.

Warm breeze?

Something in his mind clicked. With realization in his eyes, he stared at the sky.

The blue of the sky was like…

He lifted his arm and extended his hand to the sky…

As if you can touch it…

_YEARS AGO._

He couldn't stop vibrating.

No matter how many times he tries to force his body to stop it… he just can't.

He doesn't have control of his body.

His emotions took everything of him.

He is scared.

Why, why he did that?!

He stops biting his lips and opens them… he needs _air._

But the air doesn't want to come _in._

His clothes are a mess; they aren't for running at the speed of sound.

He is completely drained.

He has no clue where he is.

Maybe in a forest in India.

If he closes his eyes he can see pale irises stare at him with shock.

He fucked everything up.

A sob escapes from his lips.

He was in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong fucking century!

Everything aches, his legs his arms, his head… his heart.

It's so unfair…

It wasn't his fault…

To fall in love with his uncle…

Is just… he has been so _nice, supportive and… just-plain-awesome. _

He didn't judge him, he didn't say that he is… _sick._

He accepted him with open arms.

He protected him.

Made him feel safe.

And loved.

He is the reason why even at the saddest part of his life, he smiles.

Every hug, every look of acceptance, every caress to his hair…

For all those reasons and more…he fell… and now he is crying for an impossible love.

He has been trying… hard, to forget him, to keep appearances.

That's why he accepted that guy's offer.

He is a boy from a private school… Dick's.

He met him a day that Dick invited him to stay at Mr. Wayne's… castle, and he went to Dick's school. He was lost and the guy helped him… and asked him his number. He gave it, he had no clue that weeks later he was going to be invited to a party, or to a dinner in a fancy restaurant, or to play videogames…

He never suspected that it was weird that a senior hanged out with him… after all he hangs out with Kaldur and Roy.

It was the same, right?... right?

…Wrong.

He doesn't make out with his friends in an alley behind the cinema.

That's exactly how Barry found him.

With Johnny's lips on his neck.

Those eyes…

… He was mad.

"I ruined everything… like always."

He brings even closer his legs, until his knees are hurting his forehead.

He ran, ran and ran… until he couldn't recognize where he was.

He is hiding in a… cave… product of a ravine.

He doesn't know the country, or the continent for that matter.

When he was running through Mexico, he distinguished a green light in the sky… so he ran to the ocean.

The last thing he needs is uncle Hal's disappointment too.

"Wally!... Wally!..."

No.

Too soon.

Stand up… No!... maybe if he doesn't move he would not notice him.

"Wally?... Shit Wally…"

Not even a second later he was being hugged.

His body instantly tensed.

… Stay away.

Don't you see that I can't resist you?

He tried to get away, but he was too weak, so what it was supposed to be a push or small hits, ended up being a dull movement.

"DON'T YOU EVER RUN AWAY FROM ME LIKE THAT!?"

…Please.

"… Don't be mad."

"I'M NOT MAD!"

…

…

"… Yes I'm mad…"

His vibrations increased.

He knew it.

He hates him now.

"Wally?... Wally. calm. down!"

He denied with his head.

"You-you hate me… I'm sorry… I swear I'm never going to do it again! I'll-I'll be normal if you want me to b-but… _please_ don't-don't hate me."

Strong hands grabbed him by the shoulders, but he kept his eyes dropped… he can't stare at those eyes and see… hate.

"Wally… look at me."

No.

"Wally... Wally!"

No.

"…Babe."

His eyes stood wide open and for impulse he faced the man.

Did he just…?

He imagined it, right?

Barry never calls him like that….

When his jades saw pale irises he recognized… desperation.

A thumb caressed his cheek and brushed the imperceptible tears that have been escaping the whole night.

"Wally I don't hate you. Never going to. It's _impossible._ I… I… I love you _too much_. More than you could ever imagine."

Their breaths were so close… just a… small and imperceptible… his heart was in pause when a thumb brushed away the tears on his lips.

With astonishment he sees how his idol clears his throat and stands up while he brushes his golden locks.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at that son of a… mother… WHO WAS HIM ANYWAY?!"

He bites his lips at seeing his mentor walking like a caged lion.

"J-Johnny."

…

…

His mentor just raises one eyebrow.

"He is from Dick's school."

The man just closes his eyes exasperated, and rubs his temple.

"Wally I…" The blonde stops abruptly and starts pacing again.

He just hugs his legs again. He is confused… If Barry isn't mad with him… then why?... why he is acting like that?

"… Uncle?"

Like if he just said a forbidden word, a sacrilege, the man cringed.

"Wally I… I need to know why?... why you…" His hero knelt in front of him and cupped his face delicately.

"…" Thump. Thump. Thump. Thumpthumpthumpthump.

His heartbeat was increasing and increasing and increasing.

"Why with a complete estranger? Why with…? Why not…?... How far you were going to let that bastard touch you?"

His cheeks started to _burn._ And he couldn't stop the vibrations that followed.

His mentor vibrated in the opposite direction and ceased the movements.

"I-I… don't know."

That's the true. He didn't know… probably until he couldn't think about stronger arms holding him, warmer lips on his neck or a stronger chest against his own.

"That's not…."

"I WANTED TO FORGET YOU! OK? I JUST WANT TO STOP THINKING… to stop… thinking about… you…"

Fuck everything.

He is tired.

He is weak.

This time he repressed the sobs, brushed with anger the tears and ran away.

This time he just walked two steps before someone caught his wrist, and pulled him against a strong chest.

He couldn't suppress the surprised gasp.

He loosed his mind didn't he?

It's not possible…

Those irises… were staring at him with… desire.

He gazed into the pale turquoises and… _love _… is there… he rested his hands upon the powerful chest and with adorable shyness leaned forward and kissed chastely the jaw, so soft and so fast that no mortal could have seen it.

Except the one that held him, crushing his lean form against his own larger one. His God of Light leaned forward, his lips ghosting over those of his young conquest.

"Do you… are you sure?..."

"I've been trying to forget you… to stop thinking about you I… I…I love you... That's why I let Johnny… I let him… I was going to…"

From this close, he saw how the magnificent turquoises turned darker. The man uttered a deep growl on his ear.

"Don't say his name again… ever… if you are going to forget someone tonight, is going to be him…"

He just nodded faintly, he was in a trance. He didn't feel when strong arms lifted him.

He just heard a whisper over his lips… _*Mine.*_

And the fastest man alive reclaimed his lips, conquered them, and burned them.

In his short life, he has been kissed by four girls and one guy… Never a _man._

After this… he can say that he has never been kissed before.

Those blazing lips are caressing him, swallowing his lower lip then the upper, he feels a tongue licking the corners of his lips, asking for an entrance, the tongue moves and… a _bite_ that makes him arch.

"Does he…*exhale* makes you feel *bite*... like *exhale* …this? *bite*" The last bite made him whimper, he saw the flash of white teeth smiling before a warm tongue made love to his mouth. It touched, caressed, and imprinted every corner of his mouth.

A moan run off, when his back was against the rocky surface of the ravine. Pressing him against the surface, the man that was licking his tray of saliva ran his hand trough one of his legs and placed it around his waist. Taking the hint, he wrapped both legs around his God's waist.

With the new position, he reached the blonde locks and caressed them, for a moment he fisted his hands when he felt how a gloved hand went under his shirt.

"Ah!"

"Sorry. *bite*" The burning lips are traveling through his neck, leaving some bites in very _sensitive _ places.

He trembled in anticipation when he felt a tongue lick his collarbone; he was teased by warm breath and… finally came the bite.

Both bodies vibrated… and so did the ravine.

Dust and small rocks started to roll over them.

Jades and dark turquoises stared at each other with complicity.

"Let's *kiss*… go *kiss*… to sleep. *kiss*"

He just nodded absently… he was enjoying the feather kisses under his eyes.

Walking and inspecting the place, they found out that they were in Matera, part of Basilicata. Italy.

The imposing structure and view of the Sassi left them speechless.

They are in one of the treasures of history, resting in the back of his mentor; he observed the small streets, the town is a landscape without time… like any other.

He can't believe that this night is real.

That this is really happening to him.

Touching his swollen lips he couldn't help but smile shyly. And by the thumb that caressed his knee… he knows that Barry is smiling too.

They stopped at Le Grotte della Civita, a place where past meets present in an unforgettable way, the hotel is set in the troglodytic, Unesco-listed town of Matera. Its quarters are the famous Sassi, they are built into and over limestone caves, these remarkable underground spaces include rock-hewn churches and many half-carved, half-built dwellings looking out onto the arresting Gravina gorge.

It was incredibly… the owners didn't recognize the Flash, and if they did, they didn't show any sign of telling anyone.

Actually they were more worried about his damaged clothes; they even search for him new ones, they provided them delicious food, clothes, comfort and accommodation at two in the morning.

And didn't even look at them with any sign of judgment.

Everything was so… ethereal.

Maybe that's why when Barry closed the door; he couldn't stop himself and jumped into his arms, hidden his flushed face in Barry's neck.

He wanted to make sure that… he is here… with him…. That he isn't dreaming.

He hiccupped and sniffed in the warm embrace.

Please don't be a dream.

My heart won't resist it.

Familiar arms pulled him closer and caressed his back. Few steps later, he was being laid in a wide bed, and he couldn't control his pout.

A rich laugh was heard in the room, his jades saw how the blonde man took home-baked cakes, handmade jams, and herb-dusted cheeses, putted them on a plate and to his contentment laid next to him.

"You need to eat, you ran to another continent today."

"Don't want to…." He curled up in the man's lap and closed his eyes.

He felt a hand trace little circles at his back. "Babe you need to eat… I know you are tired but you can't sleep with an empty stomach."

"…"

The hand went under his shirt, it was calming, soothing and…

… It poked him.

He wrinkled his freckled nose and opened a sleepy eye.

A piece of cake was just at millimeters of his mouth.

By coincidence, he yawned, and the blonde took the opportunity to put the piece of cake inside his mouth.

The rich laugh was heard in the whole room.

Little by little Barry gave him food, every time that he finished a bite, a thumb would brush his lips. The small circles created a path that begun in his nape and traced his spine.

He felt so comfortable… he couldn't repress the content vibrations.

When he drank the milk, he felt the traces of the warm liquid on the corners of his mouth, so he poked his tongue to clean his mess… But warm lips were already doing the job.

The kiss was slow, deep and sweet.

The type of kiss that makes you lose your mind.

… Is this really happening?

His heart, his stupid, fragile and silly heart was feeling… free.

No more lies.

No more pretending.

He knows that Barry would protect him.

He trusts him.

_Barry… do you know that my heart is hanging on your hands_?

_Be careful_.

_Please don't let me fall._

_PRESENT._

Admiring the colors of the sky, he lowered his hand.

_I was a dreamer, before you went and let me down. _

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the presence that was looking at him from the base of the hill.

Baby blue eyes stared at the lean silhouette just a few steps ahead from him.

It was… spiritual, how beautiful the cooper strands acquired different shades of bronze and gold with the rays of the sun… how the warm breeze lifted the shirt, revealing smooth skin… how mesmerizing were the long legs… how adorable were the almost unseen freckles…

… But what makes him loose his mind, are two emeralds that were staring at the sky.

Time had just transformed a beautiful boy into a breathtakingly gorgeous young man.

He almost wants to stay away… to pass unperceived… his little angel looks at peace… where he belongs… away from civilization, troubles and judgments.

But he also doesn't want to look like he is late… again. So he clears his throat, put his hands into his pockets and starts climbing the hill.

"I didn't take long did I?"

The startled redhead almost falls at the intrusion.

How a person with the pass of the years is only getting better? More attractive?... It's so unfair! Barry should be one of those old men starting a crisis; you know the ones who buy a ridiculously expensive car or something… Ok, he knows that Barry isn't that old, but still… He shouldn't look so painfully good on civvies… It's so unfair.

Not trusting his voice, the redhead just denies with his head.

"You recognized where we are?"

It almost made Wally smile the timid way that the blonde asked the question.

"… Yes…"

"You want to go somewhere else or?..."

His eyes are so _pretty._

It was absurdly funny how both minds were thinking the same.

"It's ok… I want to see what you and Bart planned anyway."

Part VI

Italy.

Basilicata.

Matera.

This place means more to them than any place in the world.

The beaches where they ran until they were breathless.

The churches that hide their kisses.

The streets made of stone that echoed their laughs.

The food…

… God the food.

In this place they can be just Barry and Wally.

Nothing more.

And nothing less.

Simple but Perfect.

Where Barry left him, they were just a few minutes from the mystical city, in the woods, surrounded by the characteristic pines, Wally was eleven all over again, he couldn't suppress his smile, sometimes he walked jumping from rock to rock, crossing a creek he splashed water everywhere, he hummed a song in all the journey…

… Barry couldn't be any happier.

He was at a discrete distance, he didn't want to perturb the redhead, but also he wanted to be close to him if the youngest needed him. He has to admit it; more than once, when the little redhead was jumping from rock to rock, or when he was walking looking at the trees that covered them completely, and paying no attention to his steps … he was tempted to warn the clumsy runner.

But he didn't dare…

_I want you to live like you used to… with your heart open… with freedom… _

That's all he wants for Wally.

And if what it takes is to travel to the other side of the world to see one of those smiles…

… Being a speedster has privileges.

His thoughts were interrupted at the sound of an adoringly bubbly laugh… Wally started to chase a tiny frog.

It seems that Wally still loves almost every animal on the planet… except scorpions.

"Oh-oh…"

Pale irises see the lean figure totter on a rock.

Shit Wally!

Instantly warm arms captured the flushed redhead, a nose wrinkled adorably, petite freckles sparkling with the blush, his breathing was irregular and his eyes were closed, already waiting for the impact.

Can he kiss him really fast? The redhead won't notice… promise.

*Croac- Croac.*

Out of nowhere the frog hopped and landed on the redhead's forehead.

"Hahahaha."

Yup, the little runner didn't notice.

In the narrows streets of the city they walked brushing shoulders, from time to time their hands brushed… their fingers lingering the connection.

The energetic redhead saw a several number of balloons on a store and of course, ran towards it.

Barry didn't say that they were walking on the opposite direction of the elegant restaurant where he made a reservation; he was enjoying the pleasant sensation caused by long fingers interlaced with his own.

The store turned out to be an Ice cream Parlor.

With the smoothest Gelato in the world…

… They are never going to leave the place.

Pretty Jades were going to pop out by the tons of flavors, at the first sign of vibration, Barry hold tightly the smaller hand and started to vibrate in the opposite direction… his little vibrating ball didn't notice, he was too distracted ordering gelatos with waffles, biscuits, macarons and of course… strawberries.

Naturally everyone on the store was in love with the content redhead…. The owners, a lovely couple of grandparents, even invited them to stay at their place for dinner.

Right now they were just sitting outside, enjoying the pleasant weather.

"Hahaha."

He is going to lock this moment in the most precious place of his mind.

With every flavor the Jades sparkled and took a step, a step closer to look exactly how they used to be.

"So…"

"Huh?" Jades blinked several times, like becoming aware that he is accompanied.

Barry didn't mind.

"I noticed that you didn't do any assignments of… what other career are you studying?"

"Mechanical engineering."

Wow…

His surprise must have shown on his face, because the redheaded frowned.

"What?"

"No-nothing is just… it's a difficult career… both are… and you make it look like they are easy."

"Well… they aren't…" The blond smiled internally at seeing how the redhead grabbed a spoon full of Gelato and putted it inside his mouth… making his cheeks look… puffy.

"…Then why?"

Pale irises saw how the behavior of the redhead changed, it turned… detached.

"I had to keep my mind busy." The impossibly green eyes didn't confront the man and watched the people passing.

Barry knew perfectly why.

"Then you didn't do any assignments because all your professors are sick or…"

"Huh? No! I… I already ended all my subjects and internships… what I need to end is my thesis… or to start it."

"What did you do as internships?"

For a couple of seconds Barry was nervous… he doesn't know if he said something wrong.

"Why…? *sigh*…. Barry you don't have to do it…"

"Do what?"

"You know… pretend that you are interested…"

"Pretend?... Wally I'm not pretending, I'm interested."

"Yeah right… Barry, nobody is interested in talk about an internship of engineering, not even the people of the campus."

He is right, at the first attempt to talk or comment about his days working as an intern to his friends or even Artemis… they would nod and act like they are listening… but he knows better, sometimes they even yawn.

So he stopped talking about what he does and passionate him.

He is used to it.

"Well I am! So please tell me everything!"

"…" Green eyes look at him suspiciously.

"I am!"

"Ok but at the first sign of boredom I'll stop talking to you!"

"There is nothing about you that can possibly bore me."

"…" The redhead turned into a tomato.

"Did I-I say that ou-t loud?"

"… Ye-ah."

"Sorrypleasesavetheconversati onandtellmeeverythingaboutyo urinternshipspleajustsayanyt hing."

They don't know who is more scared.

They are hanging on an equilibrium rope.

"… _Ok_ … Ok… Ok, well I did a Hydraulic Study based in Fraser's Method to prototypes of centrifugal pumps, I had to calculate several parameters like the flow, head, pressures, the NPSH required and…"

They spent hours talking and talking… and talking…

With every word, with every expression, with every motion of the hands to emphasize an anecdote… Barry's chest grew… it's so full of… _pride._

Wally is so unbelievable _smart._

He has always known it but… To see that knowledge hasn't been wasted…

He is so proud.

After eating so many Gelatos, they needed to let escape the energy, so they started walking by the citadel.

Every now and then Wally walked faster and backwards, not seeing the road, just him, so those moments, he would have to take him by the shoulders so that way the redhead wouldn't hit anything.

Other times the redhead would be talking about renewable energy and a new design of an aero generator and… then he is gone.

After alarming seconds… he founds the vibrating ball entertained with whatever catches his attention… the last time was a mime or it was a chocolate shop?

All he knows is that now he is with four boxes with dozens of chocolates… Wally always gets free stuffs.

"So then I used Reynold's to corroborate the hypothesis that the flow wasn't completely turbulent and… Whassat?"

Barry was hearing the redhead so carefully that it took him seconds to notice that something else won the attention of his prodigy… again.

Today was the day where several people of all ages reunited at the Piazza Vittorio Veneto to watch a movie… they called it Cinema Comunale.

Couples, families, friends… everybody sat on chairs, cushions even carpets, and enjoyed a movie played on an enormous wall by an old projector.

From the corner of his eye, pale irises watched how the young redhead titled his head with curiosity when the lights around the piazza were turned off and the movie started to play.

"You want to take a look?"

Wally blinked, startled and with confusion and uncertainty he nodded.

Barry smiled, with what he hopes it's his reassuring smile.

"I'll find some chairs." He just walked a pair of steps when he heard the hesitant voice of the young speedster.

"Ba-Barry… It's getting late and…are you sure that I'm not a burden?... I… I'm sure that you have other things to do and…"

Barry didn't face the jades immediately…

Other things?

Yes… he should be kilometers away… in Central… buying the groceries that _his wife_ asked him to buy… in the Watchtower, helping Captain Atom with the monitors… with Jay, listening the stories that he would never get tired to hear.

Other things to do?

Yes, he has them.

More important things to do?

No way.

Something inside of him, a presentiment maybe, tells him that it have been years since Wally was behaving this way.

They have suffered more than enough, Wally paid for sins that he didn't commit.

It's in his hands; to soothe the life of the redhead.

That's why he put all his worries in a far corner of his mind and when he faced the freckled face, he smiled with all he got.

"Don't worry babe, I'll be right back."

And leaved a blushed, green eyed speedster.

Maybe this time the redhead noticed the kiss at light speed.

The breeze was warm, the stars just made the atmosphere warmer, some people were laughing at the funny moments of the movie, others made "aww" sounds when the protagonists were together, others had their attention in other things… Pale irises didn't notice the details around him… For pale irises there was just one being that matters…

"_Stop looking at himstoplookingathim… Stop looking… Just Stop!… At the count of three… one… two… three…"_

…

"_Stop looking Barry!"_

He finds himself in the same predicament that he has been having for years… He can't stop staring at the green-eyed speedster… From years ago he has always taken advantage of Wally's natural obliviousness and often finds himself staring at him… It's unconsciously!… Seeing things in retrospect, he wonders how people didn't suspect about his true feelings for Wally…

Nobody could blame him... the whole situation… the scenario… if yesterday someone would have said to him that today he would be watching an Italian movie under Italy's sky, with no other than _his_ speedster… He would have punched the person right on the face…

Just the mere fact that they are sitting so close… that from where he is he can count the 54 freckles that Wally has under his eyes, nose and eyelids… the last ones he counts them when the redhead blinks…

Last time he got a chance to count them… they were 36…

He missed 18 freckles…

… Eighteen…

For other people it must be trivial and just plain meaningless, but to him….

It's the saddest feeling of the world….

To had missed eighteen freckles…

But his sadness dies when he realizes where and with whom he is right now.

He can feel his heart _race_ and his breathing _ paralyze _ at one of the small smiles that the redhead gives to one of the protagonists.

The truth is… that he is memorizing him… He doesn't dare to look in another direction… He _knows_ that he is just plain pathetic… He knows just how wrong the whole situation is… But… he is in love…

That's the one and only true answer.

And he won't ever regret it.

He came out of his trance when he distinguished how the redhead was close to pouting.

With his eyebrow raised he finds out that in front of them a man of the size of King Kong sat, blocking the view.

Any word wasn't out of his mouth yet, when a hand grabbed his arm.

His heart was a horse breaking free.

"Barry… _don't."_

"But…"

"Don't, he wouldn't understand you anyway."

"…" He just sighs defeated.

"…We should go anyway."

If it wasn't by the fact that Barry is a speedster, his neck would be injured by the speed that it moved.

"What?Why?No!"

_Very smooth Barry._

The green eyed runner tilts his head confused, he doesn't understands the blonde's behavior.

In fact, Barry has been acting weird the whole day.

"I-I…I really want to see the end… of the… movie?… The italian guy is… great?" Neurons working at the speed of light, and _that's_ with what his mind came up with?!

"…Really?… "

"Yes?… Look, we can watch it over there." Pointing to a bell tower, he sees how the redhead searches the spot that he is pointing and lets his guard down.

Seeing an opportunity, Barry takes it and carries the redhead.

In a blink, both speedsters are next to a _campana_ of 150 kg at 8 mts.

"You have to stop doing that!"

Finding himself in an awkward position… again… The redhead hits the blonde in the shoulder.

Barry finding adorable the behavior of the redhead; didn't dodge the hit… the hit was actually strong, causing a stumble…

… At 8 mts from the floor.

"I will… promise." Whispered a frightened blonde that was holding the redhead as if he wanted that the redhead went under his skin.

The redhead didn't mind… in fact he was clinging to the neck of the older speedster with his life.

Speedster aren't fans of falling from high buildings… they can't fly.

It took them minutes to finally enjoy the last minutes of the movie, in Barry's case, to enjoy the view of a peaceful Wally.

Both men were sitting on the floor, Wally had his legs flexed, his arms embracing them, from that height, the breeze was a bit cold, so unconsciously the redhead didn't complain when the blue eyed man placed an arm around his shoulder and pulled him softly, making the smaller body feel protected from the cold air.

Embracing the moment and the sensations boiling inside of him, the redhead closed his eyes and buried his face in the entrancingly warm shoulder.

He feels weak… he shouldn't be enjoying this… but…

Long fingers caress his temple, tracing small circles, removing red strands from his face, the rebellious locks return immediately to their position… creating a calming cycle…

It's amazing… One of Barry's touches… and he feels already drowsy…

It almost makes him forget about the doze of dopamine waiting for him on his nightstand.

The caresses start to explore his face… the freckles under his eyes… nose… he feels his lips burn when a thumb caressed them… he couldn't suppress the content sighs at feeling gentle strokes behind his ear…

Barry knows all his weak spots… so unfair…

"Prrrr."

His heart almost escaped from his chest….

… Di-d he ju-st?... _purred?_

"Hahahaha."

Completely embarrassed with himself he hid his face in the neck close to him.

"Sto-p… it's no-t fu-nny!" Trying to repress his nervousness he bitted his lips.

"Haha… sorry… is just… You are _adorable_."

An electric current traveled fast by his spine at feeling a deep voice and warm lips on his earlobe.

He started to shift and squirm… he needed to escape… _NOW. _

… He is too weak…

But strong arms kept him still.

The position and situation didn't help with the increasing nervousness boiling inside the young speedster, in fact, the flushed redhead kept his face completely hidden in the strong neck.

They stood like that for several minutes… with the blonde embracing the redhead sitting on his lap…

Little by little, the blue eyed man restarted the soft caresses… soothing the nervous ball on his lap… The little redhead sighed relieved at believing that the caress would remain on his hair…

… but his heart just… _stopped_ … When he started to feel numbingly warm sweet kisses on his temple, on his eyelids, nose… the corner of his mouth… until those lips were just ghosting over his already parted lips… Wally started to move his legs… he needed to escape… the closeness is killing him… the struggles increased weakly…

… creating _friction._

Freckles stood out by a furious blush.

"… Sometimes… sometimes… I wonder if you are doing this on purpose…"

"Huh?" Jades blinked confused, the redhead almost didn't hear the deep whisper… too occupied numbingly resting his face on the hand that was cupping it.

"Nobody can be so adorably _gorgeous _ without noticing it… Are you… trying to drive me insane?"

The freckled cheeks couldn't be any redder.

They were so _close._

From anticipation, as a reflex, the redhead placed his hand on the strong chest and tried to push…

Immediately his hand was grabbed by the wrist and his body was being pulled even closer.

" _Don't…_ stop running from me… stop running from _yourself._ "

Impossible green eyes stared wide open to the man that said those words.

"I…I…"

"You _want_ this and I'm going to show you just how much."

No more teasing, this time it was real, the kiss left no place to hesitation, doubts or judgements… They just wanted to get lost in each other.

So they did.

It was surreal, pale turquoises were slightly open mere seconds during the kiss… the owner couldn't believe it.

Is this really happening?

He couldn't stop demanding, owning, possessing… because he needed _more._

That's his problem… every time that he started… he would never feel satisfied… because there is not an enough amount of kisses… touches… skin… freckles… legs… God… he is going to build a monument to those legs…

More more more moremoreheneeds _more._

The people just 8 mts under them didn't hear the whimper that escaped from the boy, when he was being pushed roughly against the floor. He was at total mercy of the fastest man alive when he kept him still with his weight.

Their legs were tangled, their bodies synchronized and the kiss… had no end.

Barry was kissing his runner as if owning the soft lips was the only thing that he was allowed to do.

Wally continued struggling… sliding his legs... increasing the friction… creating moans that never were heard… Barry was grabbing the slim wrists with one hand… frustrating even more the stubborn redhead…

Barry was so _strong._

Wally starts to exasperate.

This is so… good.

Barry didn't give any time to breathe, every time that he tried to end the kiss, he would stare to deliciously swollen lips that were maddening him and he just couldn't have enough…

No enough no enoughnoenough _Please more._

With his other hand the strongest speedster explored the skin under his little runner's shirt… exploring the smoothest skin that he ever touched, in a precise moment when the friction was _too much _ he grabbed so hard the right hipbone under him that it left a mark of his fingers pressing the soft flesh.

"Ah…"

Wally _arched_…

… _God._

He can take him right there…

When he left the swollen lips alone they were violated.

He just ran across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and he wasn't as breathless as now… he wasn't even breathless when he ran… but when it's about Wally… and just how damnably breakable he looked under him, with his hair sprawled on the floor, gasping for air, flushed, and a pair of Jades erotically blurred…

… He has no problem taking him now.

In the bell tower a pair of gasps was heard at unison when the strongest speedster let his body fall over the slender redhead.

There was no escape.

Barry knows that he has to gain control… a part of his brain is screaming at him…

Stop kissing… You have a wife… a pregnant wife waiting for you…

Stop marking… He has a life… away from you…

Stop owning… He isn't yours…

That's the problem…

Wally is _his_.

And _only_ his.

He knows that he is winning a v. i. p pass to hell for his thoughts but…

… God he enjoys the power he has over Wally…

His mind went blank when he grabbed the freckled boy by the nape and deepened the kiss… taking his tongue to warmest places…

He couldn't suppress a smile when the cute attempts to get free from the frail body under him were long forgotten…

"Penso che ho sentito voci."

Barry actually _growled._

WhywhywhyWHY?!

"Ho anche sentito." The voices started to get closer and closer.

By the distraction of the blonde, the redhead took the opportunity and got his wrists free, he didn't have time to sooth them, warm lips were doing the job with feather kisses…

"…Ba…rry." Even if the green eyed boy wanted to scream… he couldn't… he was… _breathless._

"Mmm?"

"Lo vado per indagare."

"They are… co-co-ming to investi… gate… Barry!..."

From the eyes of a stranger person, the scene would be amusing; the redhead was trying to use his speed to get his wrists away from the older man.

"… Shhh… we are very high, it will take them _minutes _ to come over…" The blond man started to kiss the neck ghosting with his lips for a _specific _ place that he knows that if he finds it, it would cause a delicious…

"Ah!"

Whine.

He couldn't hide his victorious smile.

"Barry!"

"Ho sentito due uomini, chiamare la polizia."

_That_ he understood perfectly.

"I think we should go."

The redhead didn't end to roll his eyes, when he was being carried… for the hundredth time.

Part VII

He couldn't control his respiration, he couldn't breathe… his head was like the fog before the storm… or the quietness after it… he couldn't determinate if his thoughts were blocked by the smoke after or before an unstoppable fire….

His legs… his whole body was weak… there was a blackout between his mind and his body…

The only one… the only organ that was functioning was… his heart… And its speed was so overwhelming that at strong arms putting him down, at his feet feel the support of the ground… his body went backwards and his back fell against what it seems a wall of rocks…

All he knows is that a hand prevented the collision of his head against the solid surface…

"Are you ok?... I shouldn't have run so fast… I'm…" He didn't notice how his dilated pupils contracted at the sound of the warm voice so close to his face…

.. To his lips…

His mind worked at an impossibly fast speed and he saw what he just let happen… What seconds ago he was doing…

…He was going to…

…He was…

…He never felt so _ashamed _…

How much _power_ has Barry over him?

He felt like one of those robots… that with just pushing a button you know what to expect..

"Babe… are you ok…?"

It's ridiculously cheesy how warmness traveled through his body with just that word…

…Babe

Just Barry calls him that way.

The hand that was protecting is head begun to stroke slowly his messy strands, and his cheekbone was burning by the thumb that was caressing it. With more fear that he wants to admit, he raised his face and searched for pale turquoises that in that instant had a hypnotic dark spark.

"…What… what are we doing?... To what… to what are we playing?..." His questions sounded like pleas by his trembling lips. He tried to control his nervousness by biting them painfully.

The thumb immediately bushed them.

"…" The questions caught out of guard the hero, that opened his lips to speak several times, but the words never came out.

Jades turn glassy and his owner guided his trembling hands to take softly the bigger hand that was cupping his face, embraced it, gave a quick kiss to it and keep it close to his chest.

The hero could feel the spasms of the lithe body, by the hold.

"… Barry?"

_Answer me. _

"Babe, I…"

The truth was that Barry was speechless; the scene in front of him was too heartbreaking for him to bear.

"We are not playing any-… this is real Wally… you can't deny it anymore… We-… Babe… we were just-…"

Pale turquoises evaded the confused eyes. He couldn't do it. Not like this. He has to say the truth. He has to share his fears and doubts.

Wally misunderstood the reaction and let go the hand.

"Why?... why you brought me here? If you can't even say it… just-just… leave me alone…" Cooper strands blocked the view of jades that lose their sparkle, a sparkle that reborn that night.

"What? No! Please just listen!"

With frailty the man lifted the face of the redhead by the chin.

"Wally I…"

With frustration and impotence the young man slapped the hand of the blonde.

"I just want an answer… What do you _want_ from me? Why are you doing this?… I just want honesty… _for once_ in my life… Is that so much to ask?"

How minutes ago he was in the top of the world kissing freckles located like the star in a cathedral and now…

When everything went out of control?

Barry closed his eyes and let escape all the air in his body.

Wally isn't the same anymore… He lost the faith in people.

And it's because of him.

"I know that is a lot to ask but… Do you trust me?"

Jades blinked confused "What?"

"Come with me, I'll answer all your questions but… I need air, come with me."

Barry offered his hand and forced his heart to stop cringing by the disturbing look from pretty eyes.

"I trust you… to keep safe a city but… I don't trust you about…"

"Wha-"

"But if you'll answer me with honesty…"

"I will!"

Too eagerly.

He saw how the mistrust remained, but still a smaller hand took his own.

The smile he gave wasn't returned.

Part VIII

This time both used their speed, they didn't go too far, they were in an old bridge with no sign of civilization.

Just the stars making them company.

Wally was sitting on the edge of the bridge, with his legs hanging in the air; his eyes were lost in the imperceptible waves of the sleeping river.

The silence helped him in get lost in his thoughts… in his increasing desire to run away.. but he owns this conversation to himself… the one he was four years ago…

… He has to.

Barry was laying on his elbows; carefully he put the box of chocolate between them and opened the box rotating it until it faced the thoughtful redhead.

Jades glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, seconds later the boy took one… then two… and…

Barry failed miserably at hiding his smile, but it instantly died when he started to talk with strong hints of exasperation.

"I can't believe that it went so bad!"

The curious redhead was watching him from the corner of his eye.

Sometimes he thinks that he is the only one that knows the many facets of the man that carries the lightning.

The world just sees the carefree attitude.

His closest friends know his worried and cautious side.

But nobody sees the fear, the overprotection, the difference between his smirks and his smiles, how focussed he can get…

Not even Barry.

"I reserved a table in a restaurant with the view of the whole village… It wasn't part of my plan to replace your blood with strawberry jam."

… He forgot about his romantic _adorably cheesy_ side.

It almost made Wally feel bad how depressive the hero looked.

"That sounds… good… cheesy, but good."

"I know!"

The redhead smiled sympathetically and offered a chocolate to the blonde.

"Thanks." By inertia the blonde took it and let the hidden cherry inside the chocolate calm his nerves. He wanted to postpone the words that he was going to say… Words that he wasn't so sure that after Wally hears them… He isn't sure about anything anymore.

"They are almost eaten… you want me to buy more?" As Wally often bites his lips while he is nervous, Barry runs a hand through his golden locks.

They know each other perfectly, so Wally immediately knew what the hero intended to do.

"Barry…" Even if the voice was soft… the green pools were powerful.

"I just wanted to impress you."

_And you did._

Unconsciously the redhead placed his fingertips in his lips, remembering the burning kisses that Barry gave him minutes ago. He wasn't conscious of the soft blush spreading through his cheeks.

"I know."

They can pretend…

They can pretend that they can be together.

They can pretend that their hands can be interlaced each street of the world.

They can pretend that they can kiss each other wherever they want.

They can pretend that people won't judge.

They can pretend that they are someone else, with another past and another future.

They can pretend and pretend…

…In their hidden Matera…

…But the bigger the fantasy, the faster will catch you reality.

Just like four years.

Glassy jades saw how turquoises evaded him.

"I…" Barry took a few steps back and started pacing.

Wally saw him from the corner of his eye… He'll wait.

"What I said to you at your house, before you came with me…"

"Before you and Bart tricked me."

"Huh?"

"You tricked me."

"May…be…"

"…"

"Ok, after we came here, I said that I just wanted for you, to live like you used to… with freedom… remember?"

The redhead blinked a few times before he nodded in silence.

"Well… Wally I need that you understand that all I want is to make you happy, just that, I… you just have to tell me what you want and I'll give it to you."

In all his life, since he met him, he has always said powerful things to him… but still, his heart still doesn't get use to it and acts like a teenage girl every time he hears them.

"Ba-Barry… Why now? Why are you doing this?"

Why are you leaving the normality that we found in these years?

Why aren't you with your wife?

Why aren't you with my aunt?

Why you give a damn about me?

Barry's heart knows all the answers. And pale irises express it… Is just…

Honesty, that's what Wally wants.

And he deserves that and more.

He closed his eyes and breathed several times, took a pair of steps closer to the young man and turned him, from that close the redhead felt the eternal warmness emanating from the man in front of him, the strong hands on his shoulders were the sign that Barry needed him to do this.

From the eyes of the world they were so alike, always in sync, but the truth was that their connection was natural; their closeness was based in instincts.

There are not years of practicing.

There is not a personality that imposes itself to the other.

Their ties are intuitive.

So at seeing the pale irises and the hints of fear in them, Wally _understood_ and before his mind send the electricity currents to his hand, it was already on top of one of the hands on his shoulders already reassuring. And before Barry thought the action, his thumb was already caressing the cotton fabric of the redhead's shirt.

They can't be in the same place without being close.

"Wally I…" Barry lowered his face until their breaths were one.

"…" Thump thumpthumpthump.

"I'm… I'm afraid _terrified_ to say the truth, to tell you the name of what I'm feeling… to tell you my reasons to never give you up, not because of the consequences, because what I feel for you is bigger and more powerful than any fear… Please don't think of me as a coward I…"

Thumpthumpthump.

"If I say that I love you… where that leaves my love for Iris? I love her, I do, but it's _different. _ And if I can't love two people does that means that I don't love her? That what I've been feeling for you isn't love? I love her as the mother of my children but… I love you as my friend, my partner and my lover…"

Thumpthumpthump.

"Does this mean that since I wanted to kiss you that night when you came to me with tears in your eyes… because you couldn't save that little girl… does this mean that I don't love Iris from that night? I don't love her since six years ago?… Nobody can't tell me that what I'm feeling for you isn't real. And _believe_ me that I won't give you up to _anyone _ I'm gonna fight for you… That's the only thing that I know for sure… But… I can't say that I love her more because… Is not the same….

While Wally embraced his legs to his chest, he understood.

Barry is confused; he thinks that he should pick a… side or something.

All these years have been difficult for him too.

The saddest thing is… He can't pick one… there is only one _right_ love.

But Barry is too stubborn to admit it.

"… I think that is a lie… you can love two people… but what you can't do is to love two people the same way. Wally, we've been separated by four years… and look in what you became, you aren't the same, you live faking your smiles… I can't live knowing that…"

Starting to feel judged, as a reflex the lithe redhead embraced his legs stronger, until his knuckles were white.

"I've been doing just _fine."_

"Oh, really?"

"…"

Trying to open up the redhead, the hero knelt in front of him.

"You asked me why I brought you here… I did it because I wanted to show you that _I_ can make you happy, that _I_ can make you forget about that email… that…"

" _You_ are what I really need." Ended the sentence the redhead.

"…"

"I know it Barry, why do you think I've been this miserable? Because I know that only _you_ can take the pain away."

The darkness of the night didn't hide the blush.

"But then… just let me do it."

"I…"

"Babe, when I'm with you… when I _think _ about you… I feel like… _You _ are the only one that can make me a better person… You are what impulses me to do all the heroic things that the world sees on TV… In all these years I've done all the missions that my powers allow me… Because I had this.. _naïve _ idea that if you saw… If you saw, from wherever you were… If you saw that I got better… maybe… maybe you will think that I deserved you but… now… now I know what happened… no matter what I do… I would never be at your level…"

Barry ended his words with his eyes closed and their foreheads connected.

"… I… Barry… I…"

"I want more… I…"

"…" Green irises were just mere lines surrounding black pupils.

"Wally we had enough… I'm tired of missing you… Of loving you in the distance…I just… wanted to _do_ something… to have you with me…"

Wally repressed the urge to stop the blond that took a few steps back.

He saw speechless how the fastest man alive stared at the floor with nostalgic eyes and a defeated aura.

"And that's my truth… behind this disastrous date… I just wanted another chance with you."

The younger speedster diverted his glance to the castle at the distance… He couldn't control the temperature rising on his face… Or the speed of his heart… Or his stupid impulse to bite his lips…

…Or the vibrations of his flustered body.

"…"

Several times he opened his lips, trying to say… _anything_ … but he couldn't…

… He only blushed harder.

"There is one thing…"

At nanoseconds, freckled eyelids blinked before their hidden jades stared at the blond man.

"… I wanted to show you before we leave… If you want to I… I'll be waiting for you at the castle…"

And just like that.

He disappeared.

This time there was no kiss at light speed on his lips.

…

…

…

_Can somebody please tell him what to do? _

He dropped his eyes to the sleeping river… Without the powerfully built body of Barry near him, the wind didn't have any mercy. He started to rub his arms in search of the lingering heat that the scarlet hero leaves wherever he touches him.

…

…

…

In the silence, in the coldness, with the presence of the stars and surrounded by nature…

He lets the words sink in his mind.

He lets escape a groan and hits his forehead with his knees.

You asked for honesty.

And he gave you his heart on a silver platter.

"_What am I doing?" _

He starts to taste blood in the surface of his lips.

He loves me.

He fucking loves _me._

And damn… but…

I love him with my whole being.

There is no complication in that statement.

"_What are you waiting for?" _

Out of nowhere an emotion travels through his chest and breaks free…

… As an embarrassed laugh.

He-He… He loves me…

"Hahaha." He places his fingertips on his lips.

His Jades acquired a gleam long forgotten.

His heart runs free.

A weight on his shoulders disappeared.

His Jades stared at the sky.

The only witness of his stupid, silly and naïve happiness.

Besides…

"You heard that Mr. Nelson?... He loves me."

"_What now?" _

Part IX

_He is not coming, he probably left, he finally realized that I don't deserve him… _

He hates it.

He hates the cold that is traveling through his spine.

… Fear.

Fear that he is not enough.

Fear that is too late.

He closed his eyes with anger.

He loves two persons.

But…

Is not the same.

Is not about to whom he loves more.

Because there is no comparison.

Iris is the mother of his children… she is going to give him one of the best presents in the world…

… A life.

Well, two little balls of life.

And there are not words of gratitude that can express how he loves her.

But…

Wally is…

His _everything. _

His laughs, his cries, his stubbornness, his intelligence, his thoughts, his feels, his smile, his hiccups, his blushes, his screams, his clumsiness, his pains, his freckles, his kindness… his love.

He started by missing him.

Now he can't live without him.

Damn he can't lose him!

He exhales and is perplexed by the vaho that escapes from his lips.

The air is turning colder and colder.

"I was expecting fireworks by now."

That voice…

In an instant gray irises turned turquoise again.

"Just wait and they might just appear."

Part X

"Have you ever done Geocaching?"

"…Geo-…Geowhat?"

Bronze strands blocked the view of the redhead when he titled his head in confusion.

Pale irises couldn't stop drinking the sight in front of him. Or resist the urge to touch the soft locks.

"Geocaching… a treasure hunt." The redhead didn't say anything about the hand that remained on top of his head.

"… I'mnotfollowing."

Wally's skepticism increased when Barry raised a bag pack from the millenary floor of the castle and started getting out several stuffs.

"Here."

He couldn't stop blinking several times at seeing a GPS on his hands.

"… Barry?"

A flashlight, a notebook, a pen…

Cough, cough, cough.

…And insect repellent.

"Barry!"

"Sorry, almost…"

Pretty jades looked as lost as his owner.

"… Done."

Barry placed a helmet on his head.

"What the…"

"Waaait." With an unnerving smile _very similar to Bart's_ the blond man turned on the small flashlight of the helmet.

Great.

"This is ridiculous." Whispered the redhead.

"Is for your safety… for your… clumsiness."

Actually… he has nothing to say about that.

Part XI

The rules were simple.

Find the Geocaches in the area with the help of the GPS o Smartphone.

Each Geocache is a hidden container with a clue for the location of the next one.

Barry said that there were nine Geocaches for each one to find.

In the final one there would be a logbook that it must be signed.

The first player to find the last Geocache would be the winner.

Barry also said that the winner will have a wish.

So…

He can't let Barry win.

So…

After four years… He is using willingly his powers.

Is not like Barry is not going to use his.

Millions of people around the world play this game.

Just three can play beyond the speed of sound.

"Ha!" He spotted the first one on top of a pine.

_This is sooo easy._

He took a few steps back to gain impulse before he… _runs_ until defying gravity and reaches the Geocache.

Not paying attention to the leaves on his clothes he examines the Geocache… is a tennis ball container… of the U.S Open.

He opens it and finds a…

Wait.

_Not fair!_

A cross word puzzle.

And the first clue.

_A hamlet is a village without a church and a town is not a city until it has a cathedral… Name of the village with more churches than cathedrals. _

…

…

…

He sucks at this.

Part XII

_Number of Moáis in the Rano Raraku volcano._

That's in the Easter Island…

…

…

…

That's all he knows.

"Apparently we have the same clues."

"Ah!"

Wally almost falls of the rock where he was sitting at.

Not trusting the older speedster he hides his crossword inside his jacket.

"This is your seventh?"

"…"

"Aww don't be a bad loser."

Barry and Bart were cut by the same scissor.

"You don't know the answer either."

…

"… No I don't."

The blond didn't end to look depressed when his eyes opened up with realization.

"But I can find out!"

In less than a second the man was gone.

He…

He…

… He went to the island!

That's not… that's not…

The redhead throws to the floor the stupid helmet.

He can't go that far.

… Not with his powers so damaged.

"Hopefully he'll get lost."

Mumbles annoyed the young man.

Curiously… even if he is losing… he is having a blast.

Not that he is ever going to admit it aloud, and less in front of that stupid cheater.

From the corner of his eye he sees in the distance a bat flying away.

…

…

…

Two can play this game.

From his pocket he searches his Smartphone…

"Hi Tim!... hey can you do me a favor?... can you tell me the number of Mo…"

Part XIII

For his eighth Geocache, Barry had to go inside a small cave, so small that he had to slide lying down, after many curses under his breath he recollected the container and started going outside…

"SSssss."

"Whatwasthat?"

"SSssss."

Because of the darkness nobody saw how pale the fastest man alive turned when he felt an elongate, legless body curl around his wrist.

A snake.

A freaking snake.

He didn't run out.

He _vibrated_ out the cave.

And forgot the container inside.

He wasn't going back.

You know how to count?

Don't count with that.

He was going to get away, when he heard something very similar to a …

Behind a tree, a little ball was trying to repress the muffled laughs escaping from his lips.

He waited for a couple of seconds… memorizing the scene to keep it forever in his mind.

He has been waiting the whole night for this.

Slowly, very slowly, like afraid to break the moment…

He wrapped his arms around the small waist of the young redhead that couldn't stop laughing and even if he felt how the boy noticed him, by the little jump he made… and the "eap!"… the redhead only started laughing harder… he just embraced him stronger… until the small vibrations that traveled through the freckled redhead, were in sync with his heart… and took the moment to sink his nose in the soft red locks that smelled just like four years ago.

There are lives that born and die between an inhalation and an exhalation…

He was born again in that moment.

With a laughing Wally in his arms.

Part XIV

_1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 _

"… Coordinates?"

"I don't think so."

"Maybe it has something to do with the castle… I'll be right back."

"…I think…I…"

Turquoises saw curiously how the young speedster brushed some red locks and placed them behind his ear while glanced thoughtfully at the last clue of the Geocaches.

"… They are… If one traces the ancestry of any male bee (1 bee), he has 1 parent (1 bee), 2 grandparents, 3 great-grandparents, 5 great-great-grandparents, and so on…"

"… We have to find… male _bees?_ "

"This sequence of numbers I think it's… the Fibonacci sequence."

"… That has more sense… So…"

"So what?"

"It's a tie?"

"No way!"

"Sorry but I have a wish to win, see ya in the end line!"

"Barry!"

Wally didn't know if he was mad because of the cheats, or if it has more to do with the stolen kiss.

Part XV

His eyelids felt heavy, every now and then he would gave up and nozzle unconsciously the warm and oh so comfy back that carried him.

Normal people _the one familiar with the term *common sense*_ would be alert and clinging with his life at the man that just traveled through the ocean at a speed beyond the speed of sound.

But to him, the sensation was calming and soothing, it brought him a sense of familiarity long forgotten that just brought him… peace.

Peace to his body and peace to his mind.

The strawberry blonde was so drowsy that didn't notice the almost imperceptible content vibrations that traveled through his lithe body… they sounded like purrs.

Even if the carrier was using again the legendary scarlet suit, he felt the small tickles in his neck, product of the windblown red locks… it doesn't matter if the red strands aren't making any contact with his skin… The hero _knows_ that they are there… that's all his mind needs to send electric currents through his spine.

"We are… we arrived babe."

He wanted to say _home._

He _wants _ to say home.

He never say it.

Because is not the truth.

Carefully he placed down the sleepy boy that didn't made two steps when he stumbled backwards.

The redhead was welcome by a strong chest and warm arms that embraced him.

The white lenses didn't show how amusing was the scene for the red clad hero.

Wally please, never stop being adorable.

"Whysltmhh… zzz."

"Mm?" _Stop stop stopstop_ He didn't want to take advantage of the lethargic state of the redhead but… he couldn't stop kissing the adorable freckles under the long eyelashes… The lithe body just _clicked_ so well with his own… the lithe almost delicate silhouette made a perfect symmetry with his larger one... He couldn't stop his anxiety to hold and lever let go…

He caressed with his lips the petite dots, but he started to lick and kiss and _own_ the eighteen ones that he discovered today.

"… Ba…rry?… Why the sun…?" Blurry eyes glanced at the sun with questioning eyes.

"United States Pacific is 9 hours behind Italy… We leave Italy at two in the morning… It's five in the…" Answered the hero never ending the kisses that started lowering and lowering.

The younger speedster let escape a fragile whine and hid his face in the contrary's neck.

"… Babe?" With worry the hero started to soothe the back of the redhead.

"Ihavetowork."

"You want me to go to your job and say that you a-?"

"I can't skip." With a tired exhalation the young man starts separating from the protective body and went inside his house.

This time he let the door open.

The scarlet hero stayed unsure outside. He doesn't want to mess anything again.

He was so insecure and nervous that he removed his cowl to run his hand through his blond locks.

Any person that decided to pass by that street in Palo Alto, would have discovered the secret I. D of the fastest man alive.

"… You want coffee?"

His uneasy behavior calmed instantly when he heard the drowsy voice from inside the house.

"Sure."

There was no hesitation when the scarlet hero entered.

Part XVI

She thought that he had surpassed it.

With careful steps she approached the coffee table that was in a lamentable state.

With just pushing a hidden button of her mask, the infrared vision turned off.

She had more than enough.

She doesn't have the time to deal with another obsession of her husband.

A girl has her own vengeance to deal.

With meticulous and annoyed movements she started to look the papers inside several folders that were sprayed in the tiny living room and kitchen.

_Interesting._

Documents of the Justice League.

A delicate eyebrow rises at noticing a pattern.

Several patterns.

Schedules of the emails sent to…

Apparently her husband has problems understanding the concept of _*moving on.*_

Her cat's curiosity was awake.

Scanning the room her dark eyes remain on the open door that she knows that leads to a small bedroom that she knows extremely well.

She narrows her eyes, like remembering a bad memory and returns looking for the only equipment that is in good state.

A laptop.

From the sleeves of her kimono, she gets a USB driver that she connects to the laptop.

Without pushing any button, the USB driver unlocks the security of the software and starts copying documents.

She came that night searching information about her husband's best friend and her next target.

But this gossip was just too _good_ to ignore.

Flash and his sidekick?

Who would knew?

… Actually.

It was reaaally obvious.

She has to pay a visit to her brother in law.

There are a few things that he needs to explain.

_If_ , she is in the mood to let him explain.

A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorrysorrysorrysorry… sorry.

…

Sorry.


	8. Chapter 7

-WHEN YOU LOVE, YOU GET HURT-

CHAPTER VII

Part I

"Munchausen's Syndrome?… Are you sure?, Wally that's not… Those cases are often false or highly questionable. "

His voice sounded calm and serene, he didn't need to speak with his usual tone, fortunately the distance between them was minimal, even his usual and _false_ casualness was gone; he didn't need to pretend the tranquillity.

It was real.

Everything.

"I know but… Here! Obtaining DNA was not a simple process, as the remains were badly degraded. However the use of PCR to amplify STRs provided the advantage of permitting small amounts of degraded DNA to be extracted from the shaft of a femur of the corpse."

"…"

"Barry?"

"Huh?… Right!"

Thank goodness that he doesn't blush, because he just stared dumfounded at the owner of pretty Jades.

He readjusted his glasses and read at _his_ normal speed the several papers on the folder that the redhead gave him.

"Wally there is still no clear consensus between experts on the very definition of the condition; some consider MSbP a mental disorder, others, an abusive behavior… I don't think that the correct answer for this assignment…"

"… I didn't know that you were like the others."

"Huh?" When he faced the freckled face he founded it close to pout.

"You have to think outside the box! Here!"

His heart stopped functioning when the redheaded closed the distance between them and started searching for the chemical results in the folder. Their shoulders were in constant touch, the scent of Mango Mandarin made him relax for several instants, while the repetitive brush of windblown locks with his chin tickled him.

_He just closed the distance for the report. _

_Only the report._

"You tell me what this result says… _expert in chemistry._ "

"I'm starting to feel the mythical envy that the biological department feels towards us… Am I right?"

"…"

Ohh those eyes never looked so close to shoot green lasers.

"I-I… I better start reading these results…"

He wasn't conscious of the seriousness that his face acquired while reading the results. Or of the assumptions that the intrepid mind next to him made by his neutral expressions.

"Is something wrong?… I… I knew it I…"

"Who did this test?"

Pale irises seemed confused when the redhead dropped his eyes.

"…I…*sigh*… I did it."

"… Really?… I mean, Wally this is _really _ good…"

"You just say that because… I dunno…" A nervous speedster bitted his lips.

"Because I love you?"

It never stops amusing him how fast the blood rushes to those freckled cheeks.

"I… I-I…I…"

He couldn't stop his laugh, or his impulse to grab the body next to him and embrace him until the lithe body was tense and nervous on his lap.

"I mean it Wally… I just asked because I thought that one of your professors did it, is really good, is very complete and veracious… You should have specialized in chemistry instead." He tried to soothe the young adult by talking with a reassuring tone close to the soft earlobe. He kept the embrace tight with and arm and started brushing with his fingers the red locks above the temple that once discovered, he started to kiss it.

"Youreallydo?" The tense redhead relaxed imperceptibly, like if his whole body made an integral sigh and let himself accommodate in the always welcoming strong chest.

"Yeap." He couldn't resist himself and kissed the nape.

It was so soft…

It was one of his favorite nights, since he opened up, sine he became honest with Wally and with himself… The redhead gave him a chance to win his trust again, little by little, is no like they used to… not even close, but with perseverance (and a little help from the future), he knows that they can create something deeper and hopefully stronger than before… He truly believes that. Now Wally lets him walk with him from college to the dorm, every night the little runner opens up a little bit, it started with mumbles and random comments, without mentioning the lack of eye contact, now they talk about everything, when he detects a shadow in the breathtaking Jades he takes the redhead to a country in which they can _live_ for hours and still when they return he can help the busy runner with his assignments, even if the vibrating ball complains about it; when he is like that, he just waits until caffeine no longer has any effect on the young man and takes him to a comfy bed guarded by a vigilant pit bull.

"Ba-Barry…" The sound was between a whine and a sigh. The feather kisses on the nape turned _deeper._

"I think that you are still on time to change your specialization… In chemistry…*tiny bite* _I_ could be your tutor… and you could do your internships and thesis with me…" Enjoying the flustered reactions on his runner, with his fingertips he started to trace circles in one of the naked knees…

If he remembers correctly…

When the little redhead vibrated he wasn't conscious of the winner smile plastered in his face.

…Wally has so many weak spots.

There are nights that they stay at the dorm, he brings some exotic food from places that people just know from TV shows, the redhead feels comfortable and acts like he used to, the nervousness remains, the blushes are eternal but…He thinks, he believes… that they are happier, not completely… but they are getting close. He learned that Wally still prefers milk with tons of vanilla instead of coffee, that he is thinking in going to a symposium about Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Vlatava, that he no longer likes any remotely related to comedy, he still can't pass some levels of Zelda, he is now a maniac of order, he cooks _incredibly, _ he used to have a cat but it always tried to sleep on top of Artemis's head and he gave it to a co worker on the coffee shop, and more important…Katniss now likes him, well maybe _like_ is not the word but… she no longer looks at him with… anger.

"…" The redheaded denied with his head.

"No?"

"Biology is… better in… so many ways."

"Is that so?" With a light *plop* the folder was left on top of a table… it lay there completely forgotten.

Tonight he took the redhead by surprise, he switched his monitor duty with Dinah and went straight to visit the busy redhead, after his embarrassing accident with the branch he is more careful when he watches (spies) the redhead from the window, he saw him on top of several cushions spread on the floor of the living room, he was studying and mumbling and reading several folders, his hair was as windblown as always, he was using a sweater that he gave him one night in Prague to protect him from the cold, it looked adorably huge on him… _And nothing more_ … God those legs…

And now they are on his lap.

His senses were at his most perceptive level, he started nuzzling from the nape, following the path of freckles… ending at the shoulders, removing the annoying wool fabric that was on his way… Each freckle he kissed it slowly, taking his time…

"I'm joining all points of freckles on your shoulders, and it all makes sense to me."

…In particular freckles he let his tongue caress them, gaining surprised gasps and rushed vibrations… With one arm he stilled the uneasy redhead while a hand started a path where the fingertips established a parsimoniously slow rhythm trough the never-ending legs.

"If Biology is better… *kiss* explain me how could you have detected the Cyotec… *bite* without the chemical analysis?"

"Y-yes… the cyotec helped me to corroborate the hypothesis that the victim was pregnant… _but_ it was the electrophoresis to the hair and the method of Kastle-Meyer that made me corroborate that the DNA and blood samples matched…"

With surprising strength, the redhead weakened the hold on his waist and stared at dark turquoises.

"… In conclusion it was _Biology _ who made the assumption real. The victim was pregnant and her sister poisoned her with Cyotec because she suffered the Münchausen syndrome by proxy… _I_ was right."

Barry found himself dumfounded _again_ while he stared at a cocky smile that kissed him on the corner of his lips before the owner stood up and those legs went out of sight by the counter of the kitchen.

With an incredulous laugh he went backwards and stared at the ceiling.

He is one hundred percent sure that life is much better.

Definitely.

"What is in here?… You bought… _soup_ ?"

Leaning sloppily on the floor, his head lazily popped up from the coffee table and his pale eyes glanced at the redhead that had his nose cringed graciously.

"The other bag has roast chicken… _but _ _…"_ In a blink he was next to the redhead and took the bag before the younger even thought about it.

"… That's for me. _You _ need to eat something that isn't a nightmare of every diabetic."

"But…"

" _Don't. Even. Think._ That I didn't notice that the only things that you are eating have strawberries, vanilla and milk."

"But…"

"Nope, here is your beet juice… here is my soda."

"Barry!"

While he was searching the plates, he saw from the corner of his eye how the redhead stared at the soup… He poked at it… with a knife…

… It was hilarious.

"…Barry?" A tiny, imperceptible and scared mumble.

"Yes?"

"Why is it… _orange _?"

"Cause its carrot soup."

"…"

"…"

"I _hate_ carrots."

"Of course you do, they are healthy." With all his patience he sat on a stool in front of the counter, removed his glasses, and watched how the green eyed speedster stared at the inoffensive soup as if the Joker himself was going to come of it.

"…" Green eyes diverted their stare between the beet juice and the soup over and over. Trying to act nonchalantly the redhead starts searching for something in the drawers.

"Damn he ate them all."

"Who ate what?"

"… Bart… my Chicken Whizees… Have you seen him?"

"Actually no… Jay told me that he said that he was visiting a friend."

"A friend?… Tim?… Joan let Bart go to… Gotham?" Jades showed a glimpse of worry.

"No, he said… I don't remember… I think it was Blue Beetle."

"…?" Before any word escaped from his lips the forgotten sound of a com-link interrupted him.

An apologetic smile was all he got before the blond hero turned his attention to duty.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

With uncertainty he stared at the smart phone that lay on the counter.

…

…

Mal Duncan?

An uneasy sensation traveled trough his spine.

There are no coincidences.

Something happened to Dick?

"I can't hear you G. A, the static is…"

From the corner of his eye he saw how the blond man stood up from the stool and went to a window in search of signal.

_Please be ok… please be ok stupid bird._

"Mal?… What…?"

"You have to come."

"Wally…"

Nervous Jades stared at the man that placed a hand on his shoulder before it ran trough blond locks.

Bad sign.

Bad, bad sign.

"Who is there with you?... Wally, Aqualad and his new team launched another attack, this time he… He destroyed Mount Justice."

He didn't hear the deep voice that came from the phone, all his attention was focused on worried turquoises.

"… They captured Bart."

Part II

In the way none of them said a word.

Because they didn't knew what to say.

Both were worried.

Bart was Barry _grandson._

His blood.

His heritage.

His legacy and responsibility.

To Wally… Bart was…

_Family._

He hated the fact that Barry had to decelerate so that way the scarlet speedster could keep an eye on him.

What he didn't know was that Barry needed him.

He needed the presence of the redhead near him.

He needed one of his reasons to fight close to him.

While Wally needed the reassurance that everything would be alright.

He was scared.

_What was Kaldur'ahm thinking?! _

_What this part of the plan?_

… _What… What other things Dick is planning to do?_

_Artemis… Was she part of this?_

_What if she didn't?_

_What if none of this was part of the plan?_

_What if Kaldur'ahm…?_

…_Impossible._

_He couldn't._

_He couldn't._

… _Right?_

_God with whom is Artemis with? _

He feels a bitter taste rise on his throat, one that he has been familiar with.

Guilt.

He didn't stop Artemis; he respected her decision, yes he made it clear that he didn't agree with the plan but… he didn't stop her.

Fear.

_What if he just pushed her to her own death…?_

Paula was right.

It is _his_ fault.

He should have stopped Dick from the beginning.

He should have told Canary.

Hell he should have told Batman.

… Now Bart is in danger.

…God the experiments.

The _metagene._

All this is because of that variant unseen and undiscovered for humans.

All this is because Dick needed answers.

_Is he alright? _

He knows Dick; he knows how obsessive he can get… He knows that no matter what… There is nothing more important than the mission to him… even his own life.

That's how the Bats think.

His work was to show him that there is always another way, another method… one without sacrifices.

He _needs_ to see his friend… his best friend.

His biggest fear is that there is nothing left… that his friend… his _brother_ is gone.

Barry sensed Wally's anxiety and saw all the troublesome and constricted feelings bubbling in the green orbs.

He started to decelerate and grabbed his runner by the arm… making them stop in the middle of Washington.

"Wally It's ok…" He grabbed the lithe body by the shoulders and tried to find the green orbs hidden behind red locks that blocked the view.

"N-No.. Is not."

_This is my fault._

Paula was right.

"Wally everything is going to be alright… We are going to find out why Aqualad did this… we are going to bring Bart home… Wally… Wally look at me…"

With hesitance, Jades faced the owner of the reassuring voice.

"…"

"We are going to find out who is behind all this."

Despite all the confidence that the scarlet hero tried to give…

The redhead died inside, because…

He _knows_ why Kaldur'ahm destroyed Mount Justice.

He _knows_ who planned it.

He _knows_ why they captured Bart.

He _knows_ what they are doing to him right now.

That makes him as guilty as anyone.

Because he couldn't give enough answers to Dick.

Because he didn't stop him.

Because he didn't stop Artemis.

And God he can't say anything to the man he loves.

… He _can't._

And it's killing him.

Because he _knows_ how hard Barry is pretending to be alright… he _knows_ that he is not only trying to convince him but… to himself too.

He does the only thing that he can do right now.

"…" He nods and…

Keeps silence.

… Until he has a few words with Dick.

Enough is enough.

"… Do you trust me?"

Pale irises kept staring at him with worry.

"Yes… let's go, we have a speedster to find."

_Because they will bring him back home._

Part III

This time, when he arrived at the Hall of Justice there weren't flashes of cameras, or people calling him speedy, it was empty… When he entered the monumental structure he didn't feel the sensation of safety and reassurance that seeing the statues of his childhood idols always brought him…

… He knew that almost all of them were gone.

The echo of their steps was unsettling… this place wasn't suppose to be this… lifeless and lugubrious.

He followed the scarlet hero 'til the elevator for the heroes area, he waited for the normal protocol for when you are going to let a civilian enter…

"_Recognized Flash 04."_

"_Recognized_ _Kid Flash B03."_

Startled he saw his mentor; the blond man gave him a sheepish smile.

"It doesn't matter to me if you carry the yellow suit or not… There is only one Kid Flash."

To say that his cheeks were burning was an understatement.

Knowing well the place where they were, he had to stand on tiptoe to give a quick hug to his hero. Strong arms around his waist made sure to prolong as much as possible the intimate moment.

"Don't be scared… We'll find him."

Again, his body was struggling to form the words that he wanted to share _ so badly, _ but at the end, he just bitted his lower lip until it started to feel numb.

Reluctantly they separated and went to see the other heroes.

_If you knew what I know… You'd be scared too._

Part IV

When he entered the room where all were reunited…

… He knows that no matter how hard he'll try it; his image from this place would no longer be the same…

The place where Roy, Kaldur, Dick and himself dreamed to visit, imagining all the adventures that the future would depart for them, side by side with the most powerful heroes… their mentors… The place where with new additions they shared victories… This place used to be so full of…

… Life.

Now it looks like…

…A mortuary.

The four of them had a link with this place… it was their goal.

Now he wants to be anywhere else but here.

And now more than ever, apparently their arrival was enough to stop abruptly what the others were doing.

Barbara, Karen and Raquel were sitting on the sofas; they usually chat and share memories as if they didn't see each other for years, when actually it was just the last weekend that they reunited… Now they were quiet, with frowns in their graced features, the worry was palpable… They are remembering…

Remembering the report of the failed mission against Black Manta.

None of them went to that mission, but Batman made them analyze it…

They analyzed what were their flaws as a team back then and why…

… Why Tula died.

Without counting how Barbara mourned for Jason.

And how Artemis's lost have been so recent that they still don't get used to the idea.

Knowing how methodic Barbara is; how clever Karen could be; and how dangerously sharp is Raquel… He is sure that they are making comparisons…

…There is a high percent that they are going to lose their youngest members.

Mal and Conner where discussing on a corner with Captain Atom and Green Arrow, by their expressions and corporal language… they want more than ever the head of Kaldur on a silver platter, and the older heroes don't know how to pacify them.

Tim was typing in the same computer that Dick years ago hacked searching for information about Cadmus, he was so absorbed in his investigation that he didn't notice them.

A blond girl that he just knows from the news and has the alias of Wonder Girl was the only one that was watching the news on TV, it was on mute... but words weren't needed.

Her expression was the epitome of sadness.

She was seeing how a place that she started to call home was being destroyed.

By a person that she worshipped years ago.

He didn't saw Megan… But a lamp was floating in circles in the farthest corner, at their arrival a pair of green gleams appeared and she became visible while the lamp went to its respective place, she tried to smile at him… he knows she tried…

Her uncle, her boyfriend and now her little brother are gone…

… She is starting to despair.

"Wally!" She still flew to where he was and gave him a desperate hug.

She was trembling.

Her slim arms were clinging and her face was hidden…

He felt the tears on his neck.

"I've been missing you… I've been missing you _so much."_ Whispered above his ear.

_How Dick can see and live with these people everyday and lie on their faces?_

They might never forgive us, said the dark-haired hero.

Of course they won't.

He felt how a powerful force tried to enter into his mind… it was fast, and it disappeared in an instant…

Her powers are out of control.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Wally!"

The Martian went invisible and tried to fly away, but he caught her by the ankle before.

"I'm fine beautiful." He still doesn't know from where he got the force to smile like he did at that moment.

All he knows is that he did it for her.

_I miss you too._ Thought aloud enough for her to hear even without intending to.

When she became visible again, this time a small smile greeted him in return. She descended slowly and stood by his side shyly... He grabbed her hand delicately and interlaced their fingers subtly.

_I love you Wally... Don't leave us… We need you...Return…Return Wally._

He swallowed hard and fought to keep his thoughts at bay.

_I… I love you too Megan._

From the corner of his eye he saw the scarlet hero that stood next to him… he found white lenses lightly shocked… but seconds later his posture softened and smiled in return.

The redheaded speedster wasn't conscious that his gesture with the Martian lighted the atmosphere.

"Wally! I'm glad you are here…" Mal and Conner were the first to react and come closer.

Conner's eyes softened when there was no distance between them.

He looked… grateful.

He knows that just like Megan's… His forgiveness is going to be the most needed…

Still the most impossible to receive.

He never enjoyed the sensation that causes being the center of attention in the room.

Right now… he feels nauseous.

Someone hold his hand by less than a millisecond.

"… You came with the Flash? Are you two together again?"

The speedsters needed a total of five seconds (an eternity for them) to came out of their stupor and tranquilize their nerves.

Mal didn't mean that.

No.

Right?

With cautious steps the actual Robin came closer with an eyebrow raised suspiciously.

That was odd.

"…N-No." He is the only person that can stutter a monosyllable.

"That's a shame; we need all the help that we can get right now." The emerald archer came closer too, this time it was him who placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't disappear from my sight again kid, B. C and I care for you."

"…" He was going to answer him when a pair of blue eyes was staring at him, getting into his personal space.

What the…?

He couldn't repress the jolt.

"Are you Kid Flash?… Hi I'm Cassie."

Apparently her curiosity was awake and wanted to meet him, she was nice but…

… She had to fly over his head like that?

"…Wally, nice to meet…"

The sound of the door sliding got the attention of all the presents in the room.

The person who came in was no other than the beautiful Zatanna, her electric blue eyes looked frustrated and they had hints of anger.

She let escape a tired sigh and removed dark curls that were on her charming face.

"Z did he…?" Raquel looked anxious.

"The only way to convince him is with an overdose of magic… Wally?… Wally!" Her face lighted up… or tried.

People need to stop trying to look happy for him.

"Wally, Nightwing is… trying to figure out how…" Megan was thinking too hard the words that she wanted to say.

"He is in his martyr mode right now." You can always count with Conner for a conversation straight to the point.

"What happened?" He needed details; he needed to know the truth… from _their_ point of view.

Mal and Conner exchanged worried looks… When one of his best friends looked at him…

He remembered just how old Conner was.

Just six years.

"All I know is that in one moment out of nowhere…."

With each word from the Kryptonian in his mind a voice each time stronger and stronger keep repeating.

_What have we done?_

Part IV

Everybody went to the Watchtower to reorganize and ponder the damage… He smiled them away… He needed a few words with Nightwing.

Every minute with them was asphyxiating.

They were too…

They _needed_ a Wally West that…

… Doesn't exist anymore.

Ollie, not Green Arrow but Ollie, invited him to visit Queen Industries, he said that he also wanted to have a barbecue with him… His eyes were turning gray… his long blond hair was losing his sparkle… He said that the real Roy Harper was asking for them…

None of them have visited him.

Dick, Kaldur or himself.

Hell he doesn't even know when or how Roy found the other... Roy.

…

More guilt to bear.

Ollie has always been part of his family… When Roy discovered the truth about his existence… Ollie and Dinah where so… _lost_ the three of them went to the rescue and helped them in all they could, Kaldur tried to put some sense into the stubborn Scarlet Archer, Dick hacked every satellite in the orbit without any rest… In his case, he picked up the pieces of a devastated mentor; he tried to raise the spirit of the wonderful man that everybody pitied… He tried to visit him and keep his hope alive. They organized squads where in every night he had to break the sound barrier to reach another continent.

After his… exile four years ago.

Not even once he visited him.

At that time he was too scared of the members of the League.

_He still is. _

Tonight he promised a visit to Star City, a dinner in Wayne Manor and a training session in the Watchtower.

He is not sure why he accepted.

… He doesn't think capable to reject them anymore.

With an exhale he let the air run away… wishing to let escape his demons too.

He feels weak.

Running from Palo Alto to Washington with an empty stomach wasn't a wise decision.

He supported his back in the giant door and let the cold of the steel reach his bones.

He closed his eyes at starting to feel the floor moving.

…

…

…

Minutes passed 'till he gained control of his senses and the vibrations of his left hand decreased.

The image of worried turquoises crossed his mind.

Barry was reluctant to leave him…. But he had to talk with his best friend _alone._

Unconsciously he turned his hands into fists until his knuckles turned white by the pressure.

His Jades achieved a lost fire while he faced the door.

No more lies.

He has to stop this madness.

For Megan, for Conner, for the new team, for Bart, for Roy, for Barry, but mostly… for Dick.

Part V

"_Recognized_ _Kid Flash B03."_

He took a deep breath that came out… shaky.

Even from the distance, the powerful and skillful Nightwing looked…

Defeated.

This is not what he was expecting, Dick never surrenders.

Never.

The Dick he knows would be facing his comrades, already hacking the first computer that crosses his path, _doing _ something, giving orders, creating squads, sending to hell the Justice League,… he would be outside, telling Megan why her boyfriend and her little brother were captured.

He wasn't conscious of the tiny marks of blood on his palms caused by the force of his fists.

"What. Happened?" He contained as much as possible his boiling sensations…

… His fears.

… His desperations.

_What the hell happened?_

He didn't need his imagination to see across the domino mask, electric blue eyes were turning gray.

The dark-haired hero knew that… That's why he kept staring at his untouched coffee.

His chest felt heavy, with difficulties to keep at bay his respiration… The pain wasn't physical; it wasn't the fact that he almost died drowned…

… It was the battle inside of him that took place in his chest.

He was relieved to see his speedster ok… He was concerned that the Competitor had heard about the metahuman that lived in Palo Alto.

But what was breaking him was that… Wally was disappointed.

He let him down.

Screw it.

He let down the whole Earth.

And he can't ask to one of his most important persons for a little of compassion because… He didn't deserve it.

Right now, at this instant… he wanted to feel nothing.

He wanted to be just like The Dark Knight of Gotham…. To be… _hollow_ in the inside.

But the presence of the redhead won't let him.

Wally means too much.

Too much.

And he is losing him.

"It was necessary." His voice sounded hoarse and lifeless. His throat felt rough.

"It better has been. _Spill._ "

Wally wasn't asking to a friend how you could hack the blog of a villain.

He was asking to a _leader_ why he putted lives at danger _unnecessarily. _

Nightwing may be ok, drinking his coffee in the Hall of Justice, trusting that his friends may be ok under the care of Kaldur.

But _Dick,_ the one he cares about, the one he _loves,_ needed a dose of reality.

_Things. Are. Out. Of. Control. _

_Don't you see? Wake up! _

"Aqualad needed to find a way to help us rescue Lagoon boy. He already injected a microscopic tag into La'gaan bloodstream, and he used the raid on the cave to pass _essential _ intel."

The words came out of his mouth as…

… As if he was explaining an equation.

He needed to _control_ his emotions.

He cannot look more miserable in front of Wally.

God he wanted a warm hand on his shoulder.

How many times he complained to a fifteen year old speedster about his breathtaking hugs?

Right now he would give _anything_ to turn back time.

To say…

To say so many things that…

…It doesn't matter now.

A wall of rejection is what is waiting for him.

"A flash drive, with among other things… tracking software that can locate the tag." He grabbed the usb driver and showed it to the redhead, with hopes to soothe the guilt…. At that moment he faces him.

He sees the green fire, the green fire that he enjoys to start and push to its limits…

… Tonight it's not amusing.

There is no pout, no whine, and no blush.

"Like that's all he did." Wally's stubbornness can be as strong and powerful as Dick's pride.

"Wally, he had to make it look good. He put inhibitor collars on us, but he knew I'd get us out of them." He needed to get closer, so he stood up, searching for a tiny bit of compassion…

Wally can't be that mad at him… right?

Wally loves him… Roy said that when they were kids and Gotham was his playground.

"He took three more hostages! Members of _your _ team."

The redhead's patience was reaching the end.

All he sees is Nightwing.

All he sees is the Dark Knight.

… Where is Dick?

"And we'll rescue them when we rescue Lagoon boy!"

WHERE ARE YOU, DICK?!

"Dick! He blew up the cave! You guys almost died!" He grabbed his friend by the collar of his uniform.

He is desperate… why… why Dick takes so easily death?

"No! It's all on the flash drive…" The hero took the slim wrists and before he could take those hands… the owner pulls them off.

All his training didn't let him show the soreness that gesture caused.

"He knew I'd have to purse to make it legit and that's _exactly_ what happened. He gave us time to get out." Jades, beautiful jades staring at him with worry anxiety and desperation.

… He dropped his eyes.

Even with the mask… He knows that only Wally can read him like an open book.

"We just… we got caught in the debris field from the explosion." The pain on his chest… he understands it now.

…Is-Is… is his heart.

"Did you even hear yourself? What if one of you had left behind, huh? Why take that risk? Why go to such extremes?"

_Don't turn your back on me Dick!_

… _Dick? _

The body of the speedster starts trembling imperceptibly to the human eye.

The pain on his stomach was _unbearable._

The nausea, the dizziness and his lack of breath were starting to cause disequilibrium. That's why he supported his hands on his hips.

"The drive explains that too…*sigh*… he-he needed to submit his position with the Light, and the Light's partner."

The dark bird tried to keep his composure; he needed to look like he had everything under control.

But he stuttered.

The perfectionist hero never lets that happen.

"Wasn't that why he *murdered* Artemis?" Wally's cynicism always shows up when Dick acts like the Batman.

"I guess it didn't convince everyone." Thought aloud the eighteen year old hero.

"YOU GUESS?!"

_That decision ruined her life?!_

_That decision is killing Paula._

_That decision is eating alive the minds of your team! _

_That decision is… killing me. _

_That decision is making me take 700 mg of PROZAC so that way I can sleep four hours without nightmares._

You knew that…?

You knew that, my old friend?

Of course not.

If is not part of the plan… It doesn't matter to you.

"The cave is…was just a place! Worth sacrificing if it helps us stop the invasion!"

Dick decided to ignore the tantrums of his... heart.

He is tired of Wally's judgments.

At least he is doing something.

What is doing the stupid and incompetent silly?

Study in his comfy dorm… ignoring the _needs_ of the world.

Ignoring _him._

"Look, I'm sorry you lost all your souvenirs!"

Right and there died all the patience that Wally could have.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" With all his force he pushed the stunned hero.

"I don't care about that junk! Am worried about Artemis… _Terrified_ for her! You put her right into his hands!"

Fear.

Fear.

Fear.

"Wally, we are talking about Kaldur here!"

Dick tried to argue back.

Because they were talking about Kaldur.

_Kaldur._

Their friend.

Their brother.

But…

Also was Roy.

And years ago he helped to control League's _minds. _

Fuck, they even cloned him! And found out _years_ later!

"I know, Kaldur, our friend… Who in the space of a few months lost the love of his _life_ , and found out that Black Manta was his _father _. Isn't it possible Aqualad might have actually be a traitor… A triple agent? He's supposed to be playing them… but are you _absolutely_ sure he isn't playing… you?"

Glassy eyes saw how his best friend changed his posture.

Yes, Kaldur is his friend.

One of the persons that he admires more.

But as his friend… he knows the pain that he has been trough.

Roy told him just how much he loved Tula.

He was just right there when she died… He saw how the eyes of his friend changed forever the moment she closed hers.

He knows how it feels to be betrayed by your mentor.

Because when the King of Atlantis omitted the origins of his most _loyal_ partner… and lied about them.

… That's called betrayal.

Actually… he wouldn't be surprised if the atlantean turned their backs on them.

They have nothing to offer.

Just lies and sacrifices.

….They even made him _kill_ hundreds… the Kroloteans… that was part of the plan too?

Tell me Dick.

"What… what you want me to say Wally?… I… I have done _everything_ to save us, to protect this world from the invasion… What have _you_ done?"

The atmosphere changed drastically.

Now it was Dick's turn to judge.

He stood up and started to use his height on his favor.

With authoritative steps he closed any distance between them.

"Let me answer for you… _N. O. T. H. I. N. G._ " Every word was icier and whispered above soft lips.

He knows that he is playing with fire.

The beautifully dangerous gleam on green orbs was the proofs of that… they were challenging him.

They were so provocative.

He knows that Wally may never forgive him.

But damn he is _tired._

The smaller in the room tried to take a few steps back… he was starting to see black dots… but a strong grip on his arm kept him still.

"I'm the one who have been leading and keeping alive this team, you are just a…"

"With lies!" Interrupted defiantly the speedster.

He is not afraid of Nightwing.

Even if the grip was hurting him. like. hell.

The dark haired hero lowered his head and got even closer, their noses were touching and their lips were at millimeters.

And for the first time.

For the first time in his life, Wally saw… white lenses… nothing more.

His mind couldn't place blue eyes.

Because… he knows how empty Nightwing really was.

How lonely.

"You left us Wally! Out of nowhere! You didn't… you didn't tell me why… you just… you… arg!" Brusquely the grip on his arm was gone, causing him a disequilibrium that in his condition caused a series of stumbles until his back hit the wall.

He felt disoriented.

Nightwing turned his back to him so he couldn't see how he removed his domino mask and pressed his fingers on his eyelids.

"Dick I… I _can't."_

He tried to get closer to his friend, but at the attempt of a step… his legs betrayed him and he had to seek support on the wall.

He is too weak now.

His energy was completely drained.

"Then don't judge me for keeping my secrets too." When the black haired man faced the speedster… his mask was on place.

Like nothing happened.

Like he didn't disappear the tray of tears seconds ago.

Like his heart wasn't dying.

"There are not just yours to decide that… Dick… they are going after Kaldur… Megan is unstable now... And you know just how _powerful_ her mind really is… Just tell her the truth… At least to just Conner and Megan…"

"So you didn't just came here to judge me… you also came to judge my team… people that put their lives on danger to save the world… You don't know _anything _ about sacrifices, _anything _ about pain."

This time Nightwing become lethal.

"Your parents are alive, your family is alive, your mentor treats you like a treasure, your body is scarless… like your life… nothing bad happens to you… you only worry for your careers and your girlfriend… you don't love anyone else…"

"… Di-Dick… that is not true and you… you know it."

A single tear started to join several freckles on its path.

Wally isn't Dick.

He can't ignore the pain.

Dick is everything he needed in his childhood.

Dick is everything inside of him that he wishes that he could be.

Why is hurting him?

Why they just fight over and over?

"Then…"

A hand grabbed him by the chin this time… with frailty.

And…

Blue eyes, electric, beautiful and _alive._

Their pupils were dilated and a gray shade was over them… like a shadow.

But they were still beautiful.

Dick removed his mask.

No more white lenses.

No more sunglasses.

"… tell me silly…"

Cold lips kissed the single tear on his cheekbone.

"… tell me that you lo…"

"_Recognized Flash 04."_

Part VI

Barry could be a lot of things, witty, laid-back, humorous, friendly, among other things… but not stupid.

He knew what he saw.

White lenses narrowed until they were just mere lines.

To whom the glare was directed at just arched an eyebrow in confusion.

Since when the Flash cares about who kisses his nephew?

"_Recognized Robin B20."_

"Flash, did you…?"

Tim Drake didn't need to be a detective to know that something was off.

Nightwing…

…Dick's domino mask was on the floor.

His posture tried to be casual… but the tension on the strong shoulders showed hints of a state of alert.

His blue eyes were torn between confusion and… annoyance.

Tim knows that look… normally is directed at Bruce, when the billionaire doesn't let the older bird do whatever Dick proposed to.

The real mystery was the Flash…

He left the Watchtower, saying that he needed to do something.

Guessing that it has to do with Wally, Tim followed him.

He needed to ask some questions to Dick.

Aqualad's behavior wasn't normal.

Seconds ago, when the Flash left the reunion he wasn't this…

…

Upset?

Irritated?

Ready to kill a bird?

Words were difficult to find when you are not used to describe a person with them.

All he knows is that his posture _ screamed _ danger.

Probably Dick and Wally were found fighting?

That would explain the dense atmosphere.

Finally, his eyes adverted the redhead.

…

His slim silhouette was in the farthest corner; he couldn't see his face, just his back… Wait… it looked like… He looked… blurry?… What…?

"Wally!"

Before he could even blink a red blur passed next to him and caught the falling redhead.

"Bab-Wally?… Wally what's going on?… Wally wake up… Wally?! Wakeup!"

If it wasn't for the situation, Tim would be scared by how fast the behavior of the scarlet hero changed.

His voice was anxious and… frightened?

That only increased his worry… you never expect to hear any fear in the voice of one of the most powerful man in this era.

It was as if in one second you see the dangerous _God_ that can kill you before you even realize it, and in one instant you see a…

… _man._

When both raven-haired heroes approached the speedsters, their bodies paralyzed...

In the arms of the man that carries the lightning, was an unconscious young redhead that was… _disappearing._

"What…?" The youngest in the room couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The normally gold-sun-kissed glow was gone, even the small freckles under the eyes vanished… the boyish features showed signs of pain… his lips were parted… trying to catch oxygen that with the pass of the seconds turned more and more indispensable… red locks were adhered to the forehead by a fine layer of sweat… his eyes were closed… but the redhead wasn't resting… the only color on the tormented face was at the cheekbones… they had a furious blush… like if he had a fever…

… He was _dying._

To the mortal eyes of the youngest bat, the young speedster was vibrating… vibrating at a speed that seemed like he was… disappearing… For sporadic seconds the redhead would appear… in others it would seem like a ghost…

… There was a moment that he could just _see_ trough the vibrating body…. Like a hologram…

"Di-Dick?… what…he…?"

His mind was a blackout… he saw the speedster earlier, he was fine! What happened?…

… _what happened?!_

Barry was embracing his redhead with his life, with his arms he had a strong hold on the limp body; trying to keep as close as possible the body next to his chest…. the vibrations were increasing at a rate that he has never seen before… he had never seen Wally vibrate at this rate… and less unconscious… He seemed trapped in a nightmare or a coma… He was losing the control of his powers…

… It seemed like a power outflow.

He tried to maintain his position, to be an anchor, to use his force and resistance as a brake, to stop the outflow…

… But at seeing his own arms through the slim body…

… His blood turned cold.

It wasn't working.

The speed of the vibrations was so high that his arms were starting to feel numb; he wasn't feeling the constant needles of power trying to escape anymore… The speed was so high that he couldn't keep up with it…

To the eyes of Dick a hologram was disappearing….

"Wa…Wally?" Whispered afraid.

Ignoring the voices of alert inside his mind, he knelt in front of both speedsters and reached a hand to touch a transparent shoulder.

In the exact moment in which his hand made contact with the unconscious speedster, Barry started to vibrate in the opposite direction…

… Both felt how an electric current reached their bodies and tried to drain their energies… The current was so strong that throw them away.

"DICK!" Tim saw stunned how his mentor's body flew away and his back clashed against a bookshelf that after he lay on the ground, it fell on top of him.

With difficulty he removed the bookshelf, to his relieve Blüdhaven's hero was conscious and there weren't any visual injuries.

With shaky movements the maskless hero tried to stand up… The cautious eyes of Tim predicted the stumble and helped his leader.

"My… my energy…" Royal blue eyes showed confusion.

"What happened?" Asked worried and losing his nerves the black haired teen.

"I…I'm not sure…" His eyes widen in realization and started to search desperately the speedsters.

Tim's skin turned pale when he saw the Flash trying to use a wall as a support to stand up from the other side of the immense room.

The wall had a crater.

Those walls were tested by _Superman._

In the surface, there were no injuries in the scarlet suit, like Dick, but… he looked… _exhausted._

"Flash?!… Are you ok?"

"…" The legendary hero ignored him and went straight to where Wally was.

He was going to ask something to his mentor… but he found him already going to where was his best friend.

The redhead was exactly where he was before; he was curled up and seemed to be…

… Sleeping?

His lithe body was curled up on the floor… his chest was moving subtly up and down at the compass of the small mouth that opened and closed with each breath… His face was still blushed and showed signs of discomfort but…

… He was there… alive…

_With them. _

Small vibrations remained, and even to the human eye it was possible to see a series of small lightning bolts around the surface of the body…

…It seemed like whatever happened it was starting to fade.

Under a domino mask, incredulous blue eyes couldn't believe what just happened.

Actually he is not sure.

All he knows is that his body let go all his tension with one exhalation.

Wally…

_How many secrets do you really have?_

Asked himself the youngest hero while seeing how the fastest man alive knelt to pick up his ex sidekick and with a potent vibration that moved the floor ceased the vibrations in the sleeping young man. He didn't miss the smile of the red clad hero when the unconscious runner buried his freckled face on his chest and sighed in his sleep.

"zzz… ss…up…" Mumbled the lethargic redhead.

"Hmm? What is it kid?" Whispered the scarlet speedster above the temple in a way that made Tim blush.

"… S-soup… want… zzz…"

Barry Allen looked taken aback for an instant, later he smiled subtly and kissed the freckled temple while with extreme care he started to leave the room.

It was one of the unresolved mysteries of the hero community… why one of the best relationships hero-partner died so unexpectedly.

Tim is sure that it has to do with whatever happened today.

Someone that wasn't oblivious of the scene either was the dark haired hero that without his mask on, it let visible the glare that he was sending.

_You have a few thing to explain me Wally._

Part VII

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Most people would find annoying the constant sound of an electrocardiogram, but to him it was a bless…

It was the proof that the young man unconscious on the medical bed was alive…

If he closes his eyes, even for an instant, he can clearly remember how the redhead was disappearing in his arms moments ago…

… Literally.

It has been the most terrifying experience in his existence.

Because he couldn't do anything.

He just…

…How is it possible that he didn't know any of this?

The rush an adrenaline was out of his body.

All that was left were the images of the event, repeating over and over in his mind.

The fear was a constant too.

And he knows that it won't disappear.

Wally was going to…

…If he didn't decide to go at that moment to the Hall, if he…

Wally would just…

Of one thing he is absolutely sure.

He won't leave Wally alone.

With brusqueness he removed his cowl.

This happened before?… It always has been this severe?… Is it common?… Is he sick?… Is he always unconscious?

Does anybody else know?!

_Why Wally?… Why you didn't tell me..._

At the time he let escape a tired exhalation he closed his eyes with force to prevent the frustrating burn behind his eyes…

… He wants to scream, to punch something… anything!

He has been so stupid.

Wally's lack of appetite.

He knows from where it comes from…

Wally has been trying to repress his powers.

A speedster's body needs tons of energy, and it also needs a way to let that energy be drained, other way the energy will be contained inside the body… until it finds a way to be free.

That's extremely dangerous for the body.

Extremely reckless and harmful.

Just like every decision that Wally takes.

Wally has been trying to repress his powers… cutting the energy by no eating anything at all.

He also knows that the young speedster reason to study two careers is to keep his fast mind process busy.

… So every time that the redhead uses his powers… just like earlier…

He swallowed hard the bile on his throat…

He didn't do anything when he saw Wally tremble after their encounter with Neutron.

… He was too scared to break the moment between them.

Beep.

Beep.

…

His pale eyes glanced at the monitor that showed a flat line for several seconds.

…

Beep.

His own heart reassumed his beat after seeing the sign of cardiac activity in the monitor.

It wasn't the first time that happened.

Wally's cardiac rhythm was irregular.

For how long?

… No one knows.

With more tiredness that he wants to admit he hid his face with his hands.

"Don't worry."

The hand on his shoulder startled him.

He wasn't aware that he wasn't alone in the room.

The youngest Robin was making him company.

"…"

"The Watchtower equipment is composed by a mix of several civilizations, I'm sure that with the help of Captain Atom we'll find a cure."

"…"

From the corner of his eye he saw how the raven haired teen dropped his face.

"… Thanks… Robin."

"N-No problem."

"…"

"…"

"… Flash?"

"Yes?"

"I knew your identity already, but anyone could enter and…"

"Got it."

The scarlet cowl was back were it belonged, hiding pale blue eyes.

Seconds later the automated doors opened and three heroes came in.

"Where is the kid? Wally!" The emerald archer paled at seeing so still a kid that used to be so… _alive_.

Showing real and honest concern the blond archer stood close to the unconscious redhead.

Barry appreciated it.

Tim, in the other hand, glared at his mentor.

Nightwing just shrugged.

"He passed in front of the labs when Captain Atom and I were discussing the situation and… you know Ollie…"

Yeah…

When someone of his own is hurt… you won't remove him from his side.

"I won't say anything." Said in his defense the man using a green hood.

Behind his mask Tim rolled his eyes.

"Flash, it seems that your theory was correct, Nightwing and I went to the room of the… event and… we found remains of…" Captain Atom was trying to be as professional as possible.

"… The same energy that Bart left on his arrive at the cave." Concluded Nightwing.

"What do you mean?" Flash stood up and he was as intimidating as any Dark Knight on a bad day.

"When Bart arrived in this time…he caused a instability of energy, bringing with him remains of energy at his pass, even weeks after his arrival you could see how in the area of where the machine landed, a series of tiny lighting bolts and even the air composition was different…" Explained as best as he could the hero of Blüdhaven.

But he couldn't do much; he doesn't understand nor has any knowledge of what is going on.

"It seems that _somehow _ Wally's instability can actually give him a power too strong for his human body." Completed Captain Atom.

"…" Barry wasn't the only one in the room that couldn't breathe for a couple of seconds.

"How is that possible?" Whispered in disbelief the youngest bat.

"Hours ago Wally used his powers, awakening them, but his body wasn't prepared, causing an outflow of _pure_ energy, his body wasn't going to resist it, so my hypothesis is that when Flash used his powers to cease the vibrations of Wally, the body unconsciously took the energy of the Flash and also Nighwing's, so that way it could survive the event."

"So… if it happens again all he needs is a … battery?" Asked confused the archer.

"I'm afraid that is not as simple as the concept defines… My theory is that this is not the first time that it occurs, also I think that it has an increasing pattern…"

"It could get… worse?" Tim could hear the _fear_ in his leader's voice.

"…" Captain Atom dropped his eyes.

"Adams." The stern voice of his comrade didn't help him with his struggling… He doesn't want to say that…

He rose his face and… he saw how the archer was placing a hand on the slim shoulder of the sleeping redhead, he saw the alarmed expression in a teen that was too young to hear about death, he saw the fear on a young man with a weight too big on his shoulders and… he saw the white lenses of his friend…

… They needed the truth.

"If Wally experiences another event he… he will die."

Not even a second later his back was against the door, the impact was so strong that deformed the door made of titanium.

"BARRY!" Oliver ran and placed a hand in the trembling shoulder of his friend.

Tim was with his bo in an alert position.

While Nightwing just looked warily at the scarlet speedster.

"Flash… hear me out…" The leader of the Justice League placed both hands in the wrist that were on his shoulders pushing him against the door, and tried to remove them…

…

…

He couldn't.

No matter how many times he tried.

_That's impossible, I'm stronger than him. _

"_That's. Not. Gonna. Happen." _

Tim couldn't repress the shiver trough his body… Flash could be _terrifying._

"Barry, Wally is in here, imagine if he wakes up now… he won't be precisely pleased to see you like this."

Oliver's reasoning seamed to be enough to calm the powerful man.

From his back, Nightwing hid again an inhibitor collar.

Tim raised an eyebrow.

"_From where Dick got that equipment?"_

"So-s…sorry Adams is not … I…" Barry removed his cowl and everybody could see just how broken the man looked.

Captain Atom placed a hand in the shoulder of his friend.

"Don't be sorry… There is still hope."

"Yeah, we just… the kid just need a few training sessions… right?" With optimism Oliver searched for support.

None of the others faced him.

"Maybe if Flash gives him some of his energy." Suggests Tim.

"I think… is more complicated than that… We need to talk in private Barry."

"… I won't leave Wally alone."

"Whatever you say to him, I have the right to hear it too, I'm his best friend."

Barry let escape a dry chuckle.

The lenses of the domino mask were just mere lines.

"Nightwing you better go with your team, they need you right now, and if we don't want to get suspicious you better start going now." Tried to soothe the atmosphere the leader of the Justice League.

"I'm not leaving my fr…"

"Oh now is your friend? Cause that's not exactly how it looked like when you were trying to kiss him."

Now it was the turn of Nightwing to chuckle.

"At least _I_ can…"

"ENOUGH!"

Everybody in the room stared astonished at the younger in the room.

"Dick please shut up and go to attend _your_ team, send Barbara to check Blüdhaven that Alfred is already monitoring Gotham… _I'm_ going with Barry at a more secure place, G. A is going to stay here with Wally… Because I'm not sure that everybody here remembers that here is resting a patient that needs _quietness _ and _peace._ "

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Maybe the little bat should replace you C. A."

Part VIII

Beep.

….

Beep.

…

…

…

Beep.

"Everybody is unharmed… yes we are deciding how we are going to proceed… How is behaving the troublesome baby?... and Lian?"

He always considered himself a normal person.

He is not spectacular.

He is not indispensable.

So when he woke up from his nightmares.

And just opened his eyes slowly.

He wondered for the first time if a normal person would wake up that way, with such... stillness.

But again.

Nobody experienced what he just went trough.

His Jades blinked several times, trying to adjust to the white light.

He felt numb, drained and… exhausted.

But mostly…

_Lost._

He knows that he'd been unconscious… but that doesn't mean that he should feel rested.

In fact, he feels exact the opposite.

Moving imperceptibly his head, he saw the I. V and a monitor with his vital signs.

Beep.

Beep.

…

Beep.

They were irregular.

A normal person would be scared and would be looking for help.

He just blinked.

And very slowly returned his glance at the white roof.

Everything aches.

His line of thought was incompressible, trying to keep up with it…

… Hurted.

By reflex his hand tried to go to his temple, trying to soothe the pain.

…

But he _couldn't._

For the first time since he woke up, his Jades showed an emotion…

… Apprehension.

His hand… for any mortal, it would look like it was paralyzed…

But to the eyes of a speedster it was moving…

Impossibly slow.

It was as if it was trapped…

_In time._

BeepBeepBeep.

The rhythm of his heart gave him away.

"Wait Di… Wally!" Oliver Queen dropped his phone to the floor and tried to calm the young man that he saw grow.

The kid was supporting his upper body's weight with one elbow while his unbeatably green eyes were staring at his own hand.

He helped to sit the young man and ran his gloved hand trough the redhead's spine in a reassuring way.

But he got no reaction.

"Wally! Kid! Are you ok?... I'll call Barry, he should kn-…" His words were cut by a hand that stopped him from turning on his com-link. Confused he saw how small freckles lighten up when the redhead smiled at him sweetly.

As if nothing happened.

"I'm ok Ollie."

"Oh! You… you scared me for a moment." The emerald archer smiled relieved.

"Ollie?"

"Yeah?"

"Your phone is on the floor and I think that Dinah is going to prove if her powers work on distance."

"Ohh Shit!"

The archer didn't notice the heaviness in the friendly voice of the patient, didn't notice the fine layer of sweat, the hand that clutched the bed sheets, or how the redhead bitted his lip with inhuman force.

"Wow! slow down honey…. Wally I'm going to answer this outside." An embarrassed archer excused himself and leaved the room.

Immediately, gleaming Jades loosed their energy and went hidden by eyelids that were constricted in pain.

He needed to get out.

BeepBeepBeep.

_Now._

Part IX

Two _days ago._

Oh Oh Oh, Oshikuru,

Oh-Oh-Oh, Oshikuru,

My-O-My He's a ...

Demon Samurai ...

Who's the guy who had to die?

Oshikuru!

"What is this called again?" Wally glanced unimpressed at the screen of the LCD in the living room for a couple of seconds before he returned his attention to his laptop.

"Zzzzz… chi…whi….zzz"

From the corner of his eye he saw a sleeping teen sprawled on his couch… drool included.

_Finally_.

With a light *plop* he closed his laptop and with looseness he stood up from the carpet and placed a cover in the thin body.

*Oshikuru-sama why you have a tail?*

The redhead rolled his eyes before he turned off the T. V.

Bart seriously needs to stop watching crappy shows.

He went to the kitchen and started doing a hot chocolate; the microwave's tiny screen showed that it was 2:10 a.m.

It was Sunday, he was going to spend the weekend studying and correcting some observations for his internship's report, Barry was in Thailand helping the victims of a tsunami, so he was expecting a calm and peaceful weekend.

… Of course Barry told Bart that he was going to be alone.

And of course Bart ruined his plans.

He served the hot beverage in his favorite cup (of Green Lanterns) and leaned with his elbows on the counter of the kitchen, while the warmness of the hot chocolate helped him with the constant sensation of coldness inside of him.

Bart helped him with his loneliness too.

He is a good kid.

Crappy shows and everything.

With a final sip he left the empty cup in the counter and went to his room.

"No! Leave them alone!"

The redhead stopped in his tracks and returned to the living room, where a thin brunette was kicking in his sleep.

He was having a nightmare.

Carefully, like afraid to awake abruptly the teen, Wally kneeled near the sleeper and with soothing strokes to the humid hair he started whispering calming words to his cousin.

Between sobs the teen revealed what was troubling him.

"Lea-ve…them…al…ne…don't…ple…se…they are all…no…please…"

"Shhh… Bart wake up… everything is ok…. you are not alone….wake up…"

Worried Jades noticed the tiny fist on the cover, with concern he undid them, and kept a hold in one of the trembling hands.

"Bart… wake up please…" He kissed lightly the troubled forehead.

"… Wa… Wally?"

Golden eyes stared at him disoriented.

"Hey pulga…" Wally tried to smile and give some space to breathe to the youngest speedster.

But at the minimum attempt to move away… A golden eyed hug-monster jumped him and sent him to the floor.

"Don'tleavemepromisethatyouwon'tleaveme." The teen was curled up on his chest and his tiny arms were around his neck clinging with no intentions of letting go.

"I-I…" Wally was out of words…

…This whole experience was…

It seems that there is much more behind Bart's arrival.

He returned as best as he could the hug and slowly started to stand up.

Now the clinging was actually breathtaking… literally.

He felt a nose nuzzling his neck while some nails were leaving marks on his shoulder blades, long legs were wrapped around his waist with a force that he knows that tomorrow he will have to explain several marks to a jealous scarlet speedster.

Actually…

…is better if Bart does the explanation.

"B-Bart… I can't… Can you walk for a mo-ment…"

"Nmmpho!Iwon'tleaveyouandyouwon'tleavemeandyouwillalwaysbemy favoritecousin!"

…

Ok.

_Now_ he can't breathe.

Like…

He is gonna die if Bart doesn't stop pushing what he thinks is his diaphragm with his knee.

"Let's make a deal… I let you sleep with me if you let me go…"

"Nmmpho!"

"…So you are going to sleep alone?"

…

…

…

A small blur went to his room.

He was so weak that he fell to the floor on his knees and a hand went to his neck trying to alleviate the pain.

God Bart can be really strong when he wants to.

He needed several minutes to finally normalize his breathing… With curiosity he raised his T-shirt and saw perplexed the red marks on his chest, abdomen and hips… even his freckles were reddish.

He blinked stupidly for more than a few seconds.

Yeap.

Barry was going to kill him.

_Present._

Constant memories were bombarding his restless mind.

He didn't know where he was.

He didn't know why he ran.

He didn't know what he was doing.

All he wants to do is … runaway.

And be forgotten.

Because he just. can't. face. them.

His friends.

He just…

… _can't._

Megan, Conner, Oliver, Roy, Tim, Dick… Barry.

He can't face Barry right now.

He can't lie to his face.

His not a bat, he can't.

But what was killing him was… Bart.

His lies put him in danger.

…

…

…

"_Don'tleavemepromisethatyouwon'tleaveme." _

He can still hear his voice at high speed.

That's all he can think about.

Or all that he can understand of his fast mind.

It was frustrating.

Restless hours.

They caused an integral numbness trough his body.

He stumbled and searched for the support of a wall… but he didn't find it.

And fell.

At that moment he realized to where he ran.

His lost and hollow Jades stared at the remains of his second home.

His home four years ago.

He went to what was left of Mount Justice.

_Happy Birthday Wally! _

_Don't eat those Kid Mouth! _

_Can you help me with the homework? I'll give you nachos."_

_You want to go to the park with Wolf and me? I'll give you a ride with Sphere. _

_Wally, you did good today. I'm proud of you. _

_Hi! I'm Tula and he is Garth. _

_So you are the best friend of Grayson?… You look taller in T. V. _

_Don't deny it anymore! I saw your Harry Potter books under your bed! _

_I-I… I want you to be my prom date. _

Stop.

Stop.

…

STOP!

His knees were bleeding by the constant friction of the rocks.

The fire was gone and nobody was there.

… Just memories.

Even if it was early in the morning the smoke clouded any ray of light.

The cold breeze from the sea was brutal and had no compassion.

It faded his tears…. Though.

He couldn't.

He couldn't.

He couldn't stop crying.

He wishes to be stronger.

He wishes to be like Dick.

He wishes to be like Roy.

He wishes to stop being so sensitive… to stop caring about rejection…

…

But he is weak.

With anger he removed the silent tears.

He stood up when he heard the sound of helicopters. Instants before he started running… his foot stepped on something that wasn't a rock…

… He distinguished something red, and ignoring the protests of his body, he kneeled and removed with difficulty a rock that was covering it.

It was…

…

Perdita's heart carrier.

He hugged it with his life.

"I read about that."

That voice…

BART!

He blinked several times; in front of him were green boots just like Bart's… but green. Slowly he raised his face, noticing a different uniform…

… Maybe it was the stealth mode?

When he saw the face of the teen…

Wait a minute he wasn't….

His line of thought was cut by an _impossibly_ strong hand on his jaw, the hold was so powerful that it started to raise him.

…

Alarmed, his hands tried to break the hold.

…

But he _couldn't._

"Hahahaha."

A cold chill ran trough his spine.

It was Bart's voice but at the same time… _it wasn't._

His clouded eyes saw golden eyes at mere millimeters of his face.

They had a dangerous sparkle that screamed… _insanity._

His knuckles turned white by the force in which he tried to break the hold.

"Don't be scared… we are family _cousin."_

The kid smiled cruelty and with fake boredom let him free suddenly.

Making him fall on the burned rocks again.

"Who are you? What are you… you aren't Bart…" Trying to hide his weakened state he stood up as best as he could.

What the hell was going on?

Who was this guy?

Why he looked like Bart?

"Are you supposed to be always remarking the obvious?" The kid was walking in circles acting nonchalantly, a psychotic smirk was plastered in his face, it only enlarged when he gave a sign to get near the redhead… and the civilian took a few steps back…

… He was enjoying the power.

He loves playing the game of the cat and the mouse.

"You could say that I'm… a _better version_ of what my annoying twin could ever be."

An auburn eyebrow rose with incomprehension.

Twin?

Bart has a twin?

"You… you came for him?… From the future?"

The question was lingering in the air when the green boots stopped.

Exhausted Jades saw how the kid dropped his eyes until blond locks were covering them… then he started to tremble… thin shoulders started to tremble…

… like if the kid was crying.

The image of Bart screaming in his couch crossed his mind.

With uncertainty Wally started to approach the kid, and with softness he placed a hand on the fragile shoulder.

"So _easy."_

"Huh?"

PUM!

He didn't have time to react, he really didn't, all he felt was a powerful force that sent him flying to a pile of rocks… the kick on his chest was nothing compared to the collision of his back against the rocks.

"Hahaha."

Again with the creepy laugh.

"I love this velocity nine!"

From afar he saw how the kid did a little jump in the air.

"… Psycho."

Before he could even rise up… someone was grabbing him by the hair and a humid mouth made constants and highly uncomfortable touches with his ear.

"You are wrong cousin… I'm not here for the brat no no no… I'm here… _for you."_

"Wha…"

…

…

…

Time stopped.

He…

He…

His…

Completely in shock he saw golden orbs full of greed and madness… A madness that just rivaled with the insane smile.

"Ohh… you like it?…."

The kid strengthened the hold of…

…

…

…

Of his heart.

The twin vibrated trough his chest and grabbed his heart.

"ARG!"

And _squeezed_ it.

"Hmphump." The kid pretended to be serious but couldn't stop… _laughing. _

The shock in the green orbs… was…

… exhilarating.

The pain was too much.

Everything…

…it was…

… _unbearable._

The burn of his skin.

The pain of his bones.

The… _fear._

It paralyzed his perception of the world and time.

"Are you scared cousin?…. Poor little Wally…what happens if I stop vibrating?" And to make his point clear the kid stopped abruptly the vibrations of his hand.

"AHHH!" He bit his lips until a trail of blood was visible trough his chin and neck.

STOP.

STOP.

Please…

…He wanted to _die._

The redhead forced his body to vibrate… trying to be intangible again.

"Nah-ah-ah!… Don't cheat!" The kid vibrated in the same speed… grabbing again the heart of his own cousin… with his bare hand.

With an unstable smile the kid licked the mix of sweat and blood in the contrary's jaw.

"You know at what you taste?"

"…" Wally was loosing consciousness.

He couldn't keep up for much longer.

"… You taste like fear….Umm… seeing you from this close I realize that your you from the future didn't age… that's not fair…"

"What… what do you _want_ from me? I-I… I don't even _know_ you." The redhead was talking with heaviness caused by his lack of breath.

He couldn't understand how he was speaking.

… he was _dying._

Two times in less than four hours.

That must me a record.

"You don't know me _now_ but… Let's say that your you in the future has more than a few bills to pay me."

"Then get even with him…"

The dark humor was more than amusing to the kid.

"Ohhh I wish I could but… the thing is… that he is _dead._ And I better stop you now before you take everything away from me."

"… Wha…"

"…You did to me? Let's say that you made me something worse than death."

Maybe they needed a change of topic because the kid was strengthening his hold with each word.

And no matter how many times he increased the vibrations… the kid would always reach him.

…

…

His senses were ruined.

… He couldn't focus.

… He couldn't hear.

… He couldn't see.

He was going to die.

…

With heaviness he closed his eyes.

He was trying to remember everyone important to him before he died… he refused to let the psycho kid became his last memory.

When empty Jades blinked for the last time… The twin becomes aware of the heart that wasn't throbbing anymore.

"I better kill you now… if I let you loss more blood you won't be useful for the reach…Good bye cousin… Don't worry, your miserable world would be making you company in hell very soon."

With the same fake boredom than before, he removed his hand with a fluent move that caused a sick sound of broken bones and the outflow of blood.

The limp body of the redhead fell to the floor, this time it didn't stood up.

Golden eyes watched with unnatural triviality how the limp body keeps vibrating.

Apparently in his unconsciousness West was trying to regenerate his wounds.

Ha!… he'll love to see if he can make it on time before he dies for blood loss.

But just to make sure….

He kicked the boyish features.

"That's for turning me into a statute." The gleam in the golden orbs was just a hint of the instability inside the kid.

Not caring about the blood in his hand, he touched the com-link in his ear.

"Inertia here, Kid Flash is out of the game... I had a blast by the way."

…

…

…

"Those weren't your orders." A deep voice with a metallic tone broke the silence.

Inertia tsked while he rolled his golden eyes.

"Don't treat me like the stupid clone… You are not my boss." The kid sat next to the dying redhead and petted him.

"No, I'm just the provider of your beloved drug… does the constants vibrations of the ex sidekick drained your energy?"

Alarmed the teen stood up and searched with his stunned golden eyes the tall figure of that _man._

"Whe-…where are you Deathstroke?"

"… I see… you didn't stand up as fast as before."

"I'm-I'm ok… I don't….Yo-you are bluffing you are not here!"

"…"

If it wasn't by his super speed Inertia would be dead by the unpredictable shoot that came out of nowhere.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Now the kid's breathing went frenetic.

"Are you really making me that question… _you?"_ While the cold voice from the com-link never sounded more collected.

"Why-why I don't better take what is left of West to the base?… You said that…"

"Is not part of the plan… _yet."_

"I-I…."

"Well, is inevitable your return to the base for more velocity 9… you better make sure that West lives for another day or I'll personally make sure that you won't move beyond the speed of a wheelchair… _for good._ "

Cold sweat was traveling trough the young forehead.

"Deathstroke?… Deathstroke?! What do I do?!… DEASTHSTROKE?! SHIT! SHIT!"

A frustrated Inertia threw to the sea the com-link.

…

…

…

"WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?"

Not thinking clearly by being in the middle of a panic attack, the kid tried to accommodate the comatose redhead in a better position.

"West!West!… Damn he is dead!"

"… Bart?"

The unstable blond looked from above his shoulder the running figure of… Robin.

Cursing under his breath the kid used the little amounts of energy left on his body to…

… disappear.

Leaving a redhead that wasn't vibrating anymore.

A/N: Hi! Happy 2013! I hope you all have had a good beginning of the year. Thank you for your patience, and for just taking your time to read, for me that's more than enough; because I know that is hard to read a fic where the writer regrettably still has problems of redaction, so thank you for still giving me a chance, also I'm very thankful for the advises they are useful and give me courage to get better… again, thanks it was a nice gesture.

About the fic… well… Remember the chapter four? Where a pair of intruders went to Wally's house? … I said that one of them was Match… the other was Deathstroke.

There is a part in which Slade says: "Next time I'll bring the other."

That other was Inertia.

I know is very confusing, but I'm open to questions, I'll gladly help... and hopefully the doubts will be answered in the next chapter.

…Key word *hopefully*.

Take care!


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